LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – For a hatful of reasons, world number one Tiger Woods is almost certain to be hungrier than ever before to make an impact at next month’s Ryder Cup.

Although he will be making his sixth appearance in the biennial competition, this year marks the first time he failed to qualify automatically for the team and therefore had to rely on a captain’s pick.

That fact alone should be enough incentive for Woods, a supremely proud sportsman, to prove his worth for the United States against Europe at Celtic Manor in Wales from October 1-3.

On top of that, the 14-time major winner is eager to add gloss to a 2010 campaign which has been largely unsuccessful.

Woods has yet to win on the PGA Tour in 11 starts this season, his worst record since he turned professional in 1996, and has struggled for form since his private life unravelled at the end of last year amid revelations of serial philandering.

However, he has shown signs in recent weeks that his game is improving and, with his confidence boosted by new swing coach Sean Foley, he will certainly want to keep that momentum going at the Ryder Cup.

“I’m pleased at the progress I’ve made in my game working with Sean,’’ Woods told reporters on the eve of his title defense at this week’s BMW Championship in Lemont, Illinois.

“That’s been nice ... to be able to go out there and hit the golf ball the way I know I can, know the fixes and understand the concept. I’ve just got to keep building.’’

In his last two PGA Tour events, Woods tied for 12th at The Barclays and finished joint 11th at last week’s Deutsche Bank Championship.

At the Deutsche Bank Championship, he closed with three successive rounds in the sixties, the first time he has achieved the feat since the 2009 Tour Championship.

“I feel like my game is not very far away and that makes it a lot easier going into a pressurepacked environment like that (of the Ryder Cup),’’ said Woods, who was one of four wildcard picks announced by US captain Corey Pavin on Tuesday.

Comfortably the best player of his generation, Woods has never come across publicly as a passionate participant at the Ryder Cup.

He has a losing record in both the foursomes (3-6-1) and fourball (4-6-0) formats and has made the case that the game’s greatest players are remembered for performances in the majors and not in team golf.

However, like any great player, Woods has intense distaste for losing in any form of golf and, after his spot on the US Ryder Cup team was confirmed, he spoke about his long-time passion for the biennial competition.

“I’ve always loved playing the Ryder Cup,’’ the 34-year-old said.