In seven appearances between 1997 and 2012, Woods got his hands on the famous little gold trophy just once, 19 years ago at Brookline near Boston. For a player who dominated golf so absolutely in that same period, his individual record for the United States in this team contest is a baffling 13 wins, 17 losses and three halves.

Now aged 42 and enjoying a career renaissance in his first season back since emerging from four years of serious back issues, Woods is intent on making up for his Team USA disappointments by helping his country retain the cup won two years at Hazeltine when he was a non-playing vice-captain.

“Looking back on my entire Ryder Cup career, that’s not something that I have enjoyed and I’ve really liked seeing,” Woods said yesterday of his record in the event.

“I’ve played a lot of the matches. Of those seven previous Ryder Cups, I’ve sat out one session, and that was the (Saturday morning) session at Medinah. Otherwise, I’ve played every single match.

“We haven’t done well. You know, the year that we won in 2008, I had reconstruction knee surgery after the US Open and I didn’t play. And I was a vice-captain in 2016.

“It was neat to be part of the team, to be a part of helping the guys in any way I possibly could to make them feel comfortable, to get them into the right circumstances to allow them to play their best golf.

“As a player, it’s different because you focus on your playing partner and earning your point. As a vice-captain, there are so many moving parts that you’re in charge of, and so that was very different in 2016, but my overall Ryder Cup record, not having won as a player since 1999 is something that hopefully can change.”

Woods started the season unsure how his comeback attempt from a fourth back operation, spinal fusion surgery, would pan out but having been named a Ryder Cup vice-captain by Jim Furyk he did not give up hope of making the team.

“I was trying to make the team this year. I was going to be here anyway; at the beginning of the year, Jim asked me to be vice-captain. To have now earned my way on to the team to have not only the vice captains but all the players who want me on the team, because I was picked; that means a lot to me.

“This is a pretty young team. But also a team that has played quite a few Ryder Cups and Presidents Cups, as well. So they have been through it.” So too has Woods, who has climbed steadily from 656th in the world rankings at the start of 2018, finishing tied for sixth at the Open Championship in Carnoustie in July and sole runner-up at the PGA Championship in August.

Last week’s tour de force at the Tour Championship was a return to the Tiger of old as he saw off the challenges of his two nearest rivals, Rory McIlroy and Justin Rose, in the final round, having posted finishes of 65, 68 and 65 to take a three-shot lead in the last day.

His two-stroke victory over the field was his first win in five years and moved him to number 13 in the world, his highest ranking since August 2014.

That he did against an elite field of the game’s young guns, many of whom had not competed against a dominant Woods of old, made victory all the sweeter, he said.

“The younger guys were on their way in when I was on my way out. They had never really played against me when I was playing well. It’s been, five years since I’ve won a golf tournament.

“And a lot of the players were just coming on to the scene, whether it’s JT (Justin Thomas), Jordan (Spieth), now Bryson (DeChambeau), Brooksy (Koepka) was just getting out here, getting started, coming off The European Tour. So a lot of these guys just had not played against me yet.

“I think that when my game is there, I feel like I’ve always been a tough person to beat. They have jokingly been saying that, ‘We want to go against you’. All right. Here you go.

“And we had a run at it, and it was a blast because I had to beat Rory head-up in the final group. Rosey was tied with Rory. Obviously I had a three-shot cushion, which is awfully nice, but still, I had not done it in five years.

“These guys had both ascended to number one players in the world, they have won major championships, they have won golf tournaments all around the world, and I have not really played a whole lot of golf the last few years.”

The quick switch from Atlanta to Paris meant Woods has yet to fully appreciate the seismic reaction to his win, which saw thousands of fans spill on to the 18th fairway as he played the final hole.

“I’m trying to return the text messages I’ve gotten, but I’m still well north of 150,” Woods said. “I haven’t really had a lot of time to soak it in. I will post-Ryder Cup. I’ll take a look back and reflect on it.”