( CNN ) -- When Tiger Woods won the Players Championship for the first and only time , he was at the peak of his powers . In 2001 , the tournament known as golf 's unofficial `` fifth major '' was held the week before the Masters -- and Woods won both events as he became the only modern-day player to hold all four major crowns at the same time , albeit not in a calendar year . This week , at the age of 36 and struggling to rediscover his best form , the American will again line up at TPC Sawgrass -- but without the help of the man who helped him become the dominant force he was : coach Butch Harmon . Already he has had to fend off questions about his painfully long process of swing changes , and a disappointing showing at Augusta last month and then again at Quail Hollow last week , where he missed the halfway cut . Hopes had been raised by his pre-Masters victory at Bay Hill , his first on the PGA Tour in more than two years , but since then his work with current coach Sean Foley has been questioned by former players such as Nick Faldo and Brandel Chamblee , both now TV pundits . Chamblee offered : `` He needs to fire Sean , call Butch . He 's literally lost the art of the game , and I think Butch could help him . '' Faldo , who unlike Chamblee can call himself a major champion -- six times over -- is troubled by Woods ' apparent lack of confidence . `` He just does n't have the self-belief , the self-confidence that he obviously had , the Tiger of old -- simple as that , '' the Englishman said . Woods , for his part , insists that his work in progress is similar to previous frustrating periods rebuilding his swing with Harmon and then Hank Haney -- and he rebounded from those in a stellar career featuring 14 major titles and more than 80 professional victories . `` I went for probably almost two years without doing much with Butch before it kicked in , and about a year and a half with Hank , '' he told reporters ahead of Thursday 's opening round . `` With Sean it 's been almost two years . But I 've been hurt for a majority of that , so I have n't been able to put in the time . In essence , it takes time . `` The fruits have been pretty good on the back side of it , and I think so far I 've shown some nice consistency , and I 'm still working . I just have n't had the time because obviously the injuries I 've had . '' Woods did admit that he might be thinking too much about his game , rather than just playing . `` Certainly it is ( like that ) when you 're making changes , '' he said . `` I 've done this before . I 've been through this . I went through those periods where I was n't quite where I wanted to be . I had some pretty good runs after that , and this is no different . `` It takes a little bit of time , and I keep building , and things eventually come around to where they feel natural and efficient . I think that 's probably the most important word , is that you get out there and you feel efficient in what you 're doing . '' Woods ' recent performances have highlighted another part of his game that needs work : his putting -- having needed 33 in the second round at Quail Hollow , and also struggling in finishing 40th at Augusta . `` Absolutely . I 'm not quite 100 % comfortable with it . I 've had to make some tweaks and some little bit of changes , '' he said . `` Augusta was nice to have happen , actually , in the big scheme of things . Just like it was at Dubai a couple of years ago when I could n't cut the golf ball . I felt like I could have won that golf tournament , but not being able to cut it cost me eight or nine shots that week . `` Augusta was one of those things where it was just pretty glaring , some of the things I needed to work on . So get back to work and try and get ready for this week . '' Woods will be in a high-profile grouping on Thursday and Friday as he lines up alongside FedEx Cup series leader Hunter Mahan and another `` Golf Boy '' in Rickie Fowler , who won his first PGA Tour title at Quail Hollow last weekend . Rory McIlroy , who returned to world No . 1 by reaching the playoff on Sunday , will partner Steve Stricker and another veteran American , Phil Mickelson -- who was inducted into golf 's Hall of Fame on Monday and was champion at Ponte Vedra Beach in 2007 . Luke Donald , who the lost the top ranking after skipping Quail Hollow , will play alongside fellow former No . 1 Lee Westwood and 2011 FedEx Cup champion Bill Haas in the $ 9.5 million Florida tournament . Masters champion Bubba Watson has decided to stay home with his wife and newly-adopted baby son .
Tiger Woods is struggling for form ahead of this week 's Players Championship . Former World No . 1 missed the cut at Quail Hollow on return to PGA Tour . He says the changes he is making to his swing will take time to bear out . Woods will play alongside Quail Hollow victor Rickie Fowler at TPC Atlanta .