Golf without Tiger Woods was inevitable simply because of age. He turns 50 at the end of this year and once leaned on the adage that “Father Time remains undefeated.” But for Woods, it has been the mother lode of injuries that is keeping him from going out on his own terms.

Tiger's work here is done. Woods will always be part of the majors, especially the Masters, which he won five times. He is exempt for life at The Masters and PGA Championship. He can play the Open Championship for 10 more years. His 15 major wins are second to Jack Nicklaus' 18, a record that many thought Woods would break.

Everything is “maybe” with Woods, the player who made golf cool to watch, who caused TV ratings to spike and prize money to soar, who delivered a level of dominance measured not only by his 15 majors and 82 titles on the PGA Tour but the fact that he had no lasting rival — until the injuries and surgeries began to accumulate.