But it is not over yet – and on Sunday he could be in a position he has not faced since 1996.

From the moment Woods won on only his fifth start as a professional that year he has held at least one stroke-play title – and for a lot of that time a stack of them.

Yet if he fails to defend the American Express World Championship at Mount Juliet in County Kilkenny, all he will be left with is the Accenture Match Play crown.

However, Padraig Harrington, for one, would not be surprised if Woods hits back this week. And if not this week then certainly soon.

“Don’t worry about Tiger Woods. I predict that he will win by the end of the year,” said Harrington, whose victory with Colin Montgomerie against Woods and Phil Mickelson set the ball rolling in Detroit two weeks ago.

There are certainly reasons for thinking that the 28-year-old American could triumph this weekend.

And they go some of the way towards explaining why there are two pictures on the front cover of the media guide to this week’s £3.8m (€5.5m) event – first prize £665,520 (€977,104) – and both are of Woods.

Firstly, Vijay Singh is not playing. The Fijian, who took the world number one spot earlier this month and has won five of his last six events, has stayed with his family following damage inflicted on his Florida home by Hurricane Jeanne.

Secondly, for all his troubles off the tee, Woods has hardly been an also-ran lately. Prior to the Ryder Cup he had two second-place finishes and in his last 10 tournaments he has had eight top-10 placings.

Thirdly, the World Golf Championships have become where Woods shines most brightly.

Since they were added to the schedule in 1999 he has played in 17 of them, won nine and earned £6m (€8.8m). Plus another £600,000 (€880,000) in two end-of-season bonuses.

And fourthly, Mount Juliet is a happy hunting ground.

Two years ago – after causing a furore by saying he would rather win the Amex title than the following week’s Ryder Cup – he did win it, not having a bogey until he was put off by a photographer on the final hole and equalling his own personal record of 25 under par.

That was still good enough for only a one-stroke victory over Retief Goosen, but rounds of 65-65-67-66 means it is a course Woods knows he can master.

Having defended the title successfully in Atlanta last year, he now goes for three in a row against a field missing not only Singh, but also Mickelson, John Daly, Mike Weir and Kenny Perry.

Of the European Ryder Cup team, Montgomerie and Ian Poulter are absent as well - for the simple reason that they failed to qualify.

Missing the halfway cut in The Heritage last week kept them outside the world’s top 50 and Europe’s top 20.