Tiger Woods completed only his second ever round at Turnberry today and then voiced his fears over the tough nature of the course.

After getting his first taste of the Ayreshire links yesterday, the world No1 was out on the Alisa course again at 6.30am and gave a pessimistic appraisal.

He said: "It's a lot more difficult than people are letting on."

After recent rain - there were more showers this morning - Turnberry is not as fast-running as Hoylake, where Woods last won The Open, and he is still to decide his strategy.

"I've got the driver in my bag but I don't know how it's going to be used - you've just got to do your homework," added Woods, whose preparations paid off at the Royal Liverpool Club in 2006 despite never having played there until that week.

Woods is without a major for the first time since 2004 and will be hoping to take the title from Padraig Harrington, who has won the Claret Jug for the last two years.

The American will face an early test of his credentials after being paired with one of the leading British contenders, Lee Westwood, in today's draw for the opening rounds.

The duo last teed off together on the final day of the US Open last year and the pairing will bring bitter-sweet memories for the Worksop-born star.

Westwood matched the world No1's score that day, both going round Torrey Pines in two over par 73s, but the big difference was that Woods started with a one-stroke lead. He went on to beat fellow American Rocco Mediate in a play-off to win his 14th major while Westwood had to content himself with his best ever finish in a major.

A massive gallery is sure to follow the pair when they tee off in the opening round at 9.09am - and the number of television cameras trained on them could be a record because the third member of the group is 17-year-old Japanese rising star Ryo Ishikawa.

The pressure of playing his opening 36 holes as part of the glamour trio of the opening rounds could weigh heavily on Westwood, who complained at the weekend about the pressure piled on British contenders at The Open.

He said: "It's just an intense week. The demands on your time are very great. If you can just go in there and not have to talk to anybody it would be a massive result."

Harrington's attempt to win the Claret Jug for the third year running, something not achieved in any of the four majors since Peter Thomson in 1956, does not start until 2.20pm.

The Dubliner, who has so far endured a season full of missed cuts and low finished, partners two former US Open champions in American Jim Furyk and Australian Geoff Ogilvy.

Another of Westwood's fellow British contenders, Ross Fisher, found out today that he has been paired with Canadian Mike Weir and America's Ben Curtis - but the 28-year-old may not even make it to the first tee.

Instead of heading to Turnberry, Fisher packed his clubs after finishing eighth in the Scottish Open at Loch Lomond, which was won by Germany's Martin Kaymer, and flew home to Cheam in Surrey to be with wife Jo, who is due to give birth tomorrow.

While he intends to return to Scotland in time to compete, Fisher insists he will rush for a plane if the message comes that Jo has gone into labour.

He said: "I grew up dreaming of standing over a short putt to clinch the Claret Jug. But it doesn't matter if I'm six shots clear going into the final round, I'm off the moment my pager goes to say it looks like the baby is on the way."