For 15 years Tiger Woods may have been the most feared athlete in any sport in the world. He would hit miracle shots out of ungodly lies, he would be calm under pressure and if he was in contention come Sunday (usually the final day of a tournament), Tiger would be decked out in red Nike garb and come hunting for the top spot.

Peek Tiger was about as dominant — and fun — of any athlete ever. 

Then the “accident” happened, after which his personal problems and stories of transgressions spilled across the globe. Conveniently, Tiger also faced a series of injuries that forced him away from the game he loved.

Eldrick “Tiger” Woods grew up as an odd sight on a golf course. In the late 70s, Woods, a half-black, half-Asian preschooler was taken from golf course to golf course by his father to play in tournaments. Typically, the kid from California was beating other children much older than him, becoming a prodigy. In college at Stanford, Woods solidified his mark as one of the best amateurs in the world and finally broke out at the 1997 Masters with a dominating performance to win the coveted green jacket by 12 strokes at age 21.

The game of golf was Tiger’s at 14 major championships. Only Jack Nicklaus holds more.

But after Woods’ accident and public fallout, he became a shell of the player he once was. The longtime No. 1 golfer in the world fell to the 1,199th spot in the world rankings in 2014. He’s played in only a handful of tournaments since, many times pulling out with knee or back ailments.

But this past Sunday at The Open (or British Open for the rest of you Americans), Woods was once again in contention. A 5-under-par third round had him four strokes off the lead at Carnoustie in Scotland. 

And once again, “Tiger wearing red on Sunday” became a thing that could happen. Could he return to glory once again? Or would he crumble on the final day of the course — a windy day with dry fairways and deep roughs.

Woods came out and birdied the fourth and sixth holes. At the same time the pack of leaders had began with their own bogeys and for a moment Tiger was once again in the lead of a major championship on Sunday at 7-under-par.

But it was not to be this time. A double bogey on the 11th was followed by a bogey on the 12th. By then, playing partner Francesco Molinari had steamed forward, with Xander Schauffele, Rory McIlroy and Justin Rose gaining ground.

Tiger finished the tournament with three rounds of even-par golf and took sixth overall — his best finish in years.

Tiger maybe didn’t win the Open, but he showed that there is still something left in the tank. Something for which maybe another major championship — or two — might be possible. There may be something left in the tank for those of us who loved watching him in 2000 to be hopeful that we might see again.

And yet, maybe this was it and his final memorable act on the links was being seven holes from being an unlikely major champion for the 15th time.

Time will tell, but for then I will keep dreaming.

— Adam Krebs is a reporter for the Monroe Times and is currently investigating the process so he can qualify for next June’s U.S. Open. He can be reached at akrebs@themonroetimes.net.