Tiger Woods smiles while answering a question from the media during a news conference held to announce the field for the Chevron World Challenge Golf tournament in Los Angeles on?Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2011.

Former world No. 1 Tiger Woods said he was fortunate to have been picked by US captain Fred Couples for the Presidents Cup defence in Australia later this month.

Woods, winner of 14 majors and considered one of the finest players ever, has tumbled to 56th in the world rankings and not won a single title since the end of 2009.

The dramatic collapse has left many questioning his inclusion by Couples ahead of the likes of US PGA Championship winner Keegan Bradley for the matches against an International team at the Royal Melbourne club from November 17-20.

"I'm honored to be picked," Woods, who has played every Presidents Cup since 1998, said in Singapore yesterday. "Freddie had plenty of different candidates he could have chosen, I'm lucky to be on the team, we have a great team.

"I know I have got four starts guaranteed and I'm looking forward to getting out there and seeing who is going to be my partner and then obviously gelling and then hopefully winning our matches."

Exile

Woods, 35, finished 128th on the PGA Tour money list this season after making just nine starts following his self-imposed exile at the start of the year and knee and Achilles injuries.

"...I have been playing a ton of golf at home, when I have played, a minimum of 36 holes. So I have been getting out there and just getting my playing instincts back, something I hadn't done all summer as I have obviously been injured.

"Golf is, we play for such a long time, you know it is cyclical in that way you don't play well all the time. We all go through it, unfortunately I have gone through it the last couple of years where I really haven't played as well as I like, made some changes in my swing and obviously I have been hurt, that kind of all added to it."