His case has split fellow professionals, but Woods backed the ruling on the eve of his defence of the Memorial tournament in Ohio.

He said: "I am ecstatic for Casey that he has got the decision he wanted and has the chance now to go ahead and make his dreams come true.

"It's not something the PGA Tour wanted, but that's the way it goes and if you read the statement of the Supreme Court I think Casey is the only player at the moment that the decision affects.

"It's a tough decision, but he is very happy and now he gets the chance to go play. I hope he is back on Tour soon."

Those against Martin argued that golf is an athletic pursuit and that it is unfair if someone was able to ride between shots, but the Court ruled that golf is about hitting shots, not what happens in between.

Martin, 28, came through the 'second division' Buy.Com Tour in the States to play the full circuit. He appeared in 29 events last season, but finished only 179th on the money list with just under £100,000 and so dropped off the tour again.

His condition, Klippel-Trenaunay-Webber Syndrome, is a birth defect and he is forced to wear a strong support stocking on his right leg to keep the swelling down.

He feared the leg might snap when he stepped in a hole during the Nissan Open in Los Angeles last year.

"I am realising that my leg is more and more fragile," he said. "I don't think you'll see me jumping too many creeks.

"I kind of stepped down two inches more than I was expecting and it jarred my leg. It was absolutely the worst day of my life physically."

He has no main vein his leg and the main bone has been described as having the strength of balsa wood.

Arnold Palmer was among those who have testified on the Tour's behalf against Martin, but even though he has won the day he does not know how long his career can go on.

"I don't know the future at all," he says, "but I know that if I didn't have the cart I wouldn't be playing right now."