Woods has no lack of confidence

Swing change. Swing change. Swing change.

Almost a year to the day after a much-ballyhooed Masters Tournament news conference at which a media ticket was required to enter the interview room, a much more relaxed Tiger Woods sat down for about a 20-minute media chat Tuesday. Much of the conversation focused on Woods' latest swing changes with his swing coach, Sean Foley.

Also evident was a confident Woods.

"Doesn't matter," Woods shot back when asked his reaction to no longer being a Masters favorite. "You still have to play the golf tournament, right? We all have an opportunity. Everyone has the same opportunity as I do, and always has."

The four-time Masters champion said "no" when asked whether we had seen the best of Tiger Woods.

"Well, I believe in myself," he said. "There's nothing wrong with believing in myself."

Woods' résumé of 71 PGA Tour wins, including 14 majors, leaves the 35-year-old on the radar of every player and fan interested in the outcome of this Masters.

In order to make it major No. 15, Woods' swing changes under Foley will have to kick into high gear.

Since making the switch to Foley about eight months ago, Woods hasn't won a tournament. He said that he has made three swing overhauls in his career and that each has required patience before he could see positive results.

To the average hacker, Woods' swing was a thing of beauty, so what's to change?

"Well, (Foley) and I have changed a lot," Woods said. "From stance, to grip, to where the club is. ... where he believes the club needs to be throughout the entire golf swing, and obviously what the body is doing. That's way different than what I used to do.

"The grip part I got pretty quickly. The posture I got pretty quickly. The other stuff has been more difficult."

Even if Woods fails to turn his new swing into a win this week, one thing will remain the same -- Foley will be his swing coach.

"Far as being around Sean, he's a great dude," said Woods, who flashed a grin. "He really is. He knows a lot about a lot. He's very philosophical, and it's always fun to pick his brain."