Tiger Woods says he is excited about his prospects for next week's US Open, even though he has not won a Major for almost two years.

　　'I've done well in my last three starts, and hopefully that good play will carry over to Shinnecock Hills Golf Club,' he said in his monthly newsletter.

　　'I'm very excited about the way I'm playing.'

　　Golf's world No 1, without a strokeplay title on the PGA Tour since the WGC-American Express Championship last October, has produced top-four finishes in his last three tournaments.

　　He tied for third at last month's Wachovia Championship, shared fourth place at the Byron Nelson Championship the following week and came third at the Memorial tournament over the weekend.

　　'I know I'm on the right track, and I proved that last week at the Memorial,' he added. 'Although I didn't win, I hit a lot of quality shots, and my hard work paid off.

　　'I've been feeling my swing come together at each and every tournament and have had no hiccups this spring.

　　'I keep telling people my game is close, but apparently, some don't believe me. Unless you watch me hit shots every day, it's impossible to understand how much progress I've made.'

　　The 28-year-old American has not won a Major since the 2002 US Open at Bethpage Black, the same year he parted with his swing coach Butch Harmon.

　　He has all but lost the aura of invincibility he had when he clinched the last three Majors of 2000 and has been struggling with the accuracy of his driving and iron-play.

　　Woods, though, has maintained a positive outlook despite increasing media scrutiny.

　　'I've been making baby steps,' said the eight-time Major champion. 'Slow and steady progress. When you change things, it doesn't happen overnight.

　　'I felt very comfortable with my driver at the Memorial, and the rest of my game is coming around.'

　　Woods, US Open champion in 2000 and 2002, was still an amateur when the second of the year's four Majors was last played at Shinnecock - in 1995.

　　He remembers little about the links-style layout, having carded an opening 74 that year before withdrawing from the tournament in the second round after injuring his wrist trying to escape from Shinnecock's thick rough.

　　'My game has changed a lot since then, but I'm sure the course hasn't,' he said. 'All I know is, if the wind blows, over par could win. If it doesn't, a pretty good score could win.

　　'The key to winning a US Open is patience, patience, patience. You know the set-up will be tough and the tournament will test every part of your game. It's hard but fair.'