It is the event in which he has finished sixth the last two years and, before it was a world championship, the one in which he was runner-up to David Howell in 2005 and YE Yang 12 months later.

Back then the sponsors could invite whoever they wanted, but now there is a strict qualifying procedure and Woods needs to win somewhere in the next two months, climb back into the world’s top 25 or take out Chinese citizenship to make it.

Already down to 30th on the rankings before he shot rounds of 77 and 73 to finish joint 116th out of 153 – his worst-ever position in a major – in Atlanta, the former number one is certain to tumble further as he contemplates what to do with a career that, until the scandal surrounding his private life, was shaping up to be the greatest of all time.

Personal turmoil – he was divorced a year ago – and further problems with his knee and Achilles tendon have seen him fail to add to his 14 majors since the 2008 US Open, the one he captured with a broken leg.

He was not won any tournament since November 2009, just before the car crash that preceded the lurid revelations about his serial adultery.

His wife left him, his coach left him, his health left him and his game left him.

The frustration of not making the play-offs is intensified by the fact that he appears fit again.

Woods could enter some lesser events in the States, he could even come to Europe, but the only tournament on his schedule at the moment is the Australian Open on November 10-13.