But this week, like so many in recent weeks and months, was all about Woods, a winner now 27 times in his 102 starts since leaving the amateur ranks. He did bogey the 17th, coming up short of the Road bunker with one of his rare loose irons, and carefully putting around it without any heroics. Once his drive was safely away down the last the crowd stormed onto the fairway. There were rowdy scenes, with one marshal even pushing fans into the Swilken Burn, and then yet another streaker. But it did not put Woods off his stride.
Nothing seems to any more.
Off it, he has contracts worth several times that. Sarazen was 33 when he accomplished the career Grand Slam feat at the 1935 Masters. Hogan was 40 when he made his one and only appearance at the Open at Carnoustie in 1953 and completed his set with a four-stroke win. Player was next. His 1965 US Open victory came at the age of 29 and made him the only non-American so far to have a career Grand Slam.