Birthdays have not served as great benchmarks of late for Tiger Woods, especially as he passed into that "twilight'' area of his career where the days grow shorter and the opportunities more fleeting.
Athletes in their 40s already face long odds of success, and Woods' plight has been made all the more onerous due to four back surgeries, the most recent of which occurred when he was 41 and already facing an uncertain future.
But as Woods celebrates birthday No. 43 this Sunday, prospects have not looked this bright in years. Woods is ranked 13th in the world, a number he hit when he won the Tour Championship for his 80th PGA Tour victory.