Tiger's St Andrews goodbye? Following Woods at The Open

Tiger Woods' injury-plagued career may be edging towards its closing stages, but his appearance at The Open suggested the golfing world is far from ready to bid farewell to one of its all-time greats.

First-timers at the Old Course need not rely on directions from a passing stranger in search of the 15-time major champion; where the flock of spectators scurried and where the mobile phones pointed, you followed. At a brisk pace, too, such was the battle for an unimpaired view.

Occasionally his playing partners Matthew Fitzpatrick and Max Homa were something of a willing supporting cast, the crowd seemingly halving by the time they stepped up to putt as thousands raced to position themselves for Woods' next shot.

Groups yo-yoed across the fairway in pursuit of an optimum vantage point, others contemplated and conceded skipping holes in order to guarantee a prime viewing area further down the line. Where players had spent the week warning of the need for imagination to decipher and tackle the Old Course, spectators faced a similar predicament in securing their maximum dose of Tiger. A test of calf muscles on steep inclines, reward for premium eye-sight, a willingness to walk among prickle bushes, all the bobbing and weaving in the world to find a gap between heads and apologetic whispers in the event of toe-treads.

That the UK's recently-crowned US Open champion found himself largely on the backburner reminded that Tiger's draw has not faded in the slightest.

"It's like a football game" suggested one suited spectator at the third as a cluster of Tiger disciples huddled in mutual adoration for the St Andrews favourite. Another had to ask his friend who else was in Woods' group.

He was still every bit the story, few coming