(Reuters) - As Tiger Woods celebrates his 40th birthday on Wednesday, he must be struck by the fact that time stands still for no one and he will face a different golfing landscape when, or if, he returns to competition in 2016.
Less than two years ago, and even as recently as last year, many Tiger fans still eagerly anticipated the day when, so they thought, he would match the record of 18 major championship victories held by Jack Nicklaus.
Woods had won five PGA Tour events in 2013 and, though major silverware had eluded him since 2008, there seemed no reason why he could not add to his haul of 14 majors as long as he stayed healthy.