Tiger Woods at the Masters 2012: Burning Bright a Fading Memory

The verses in William Blake's lyrical poem "The Tiger," in 1794 could have described how Tiger Woods once dominated professional golf.

"Tiger, tiger burning bright

In the forests of the night

What immortal hand or eye

Could frame thy fearful symmetry?"

Blake was commenting on how a divine being could create a life as docile as a lamb and at the same time, a creature as ferocious as a tiger.

For the first 10 years on the PGA Tour, most of the players were lambs when Sunday rolled around and Woods, in his blood red Nike golf shirt, intimidated the field on his way to another victory.

Tiger was a great front-runner, especially in majors where he was 13-0 when in the lead on Sunday morning.

He had 14 majors to his credit by the age of 32 and it was only a matter of time before broke the record of 18 set by Jack Nicklaus.

Tiger was already being called the best ever with almost 20 years ahead of him on the main tour.

There's no need to go into great depth about how he has become a mostly toothless Tiger, humbled by serious injuries and the revelation of a sordid life off the course.

Tiger is 36 now and his four-year downfall from the pinnacle of golf has raised the question of whether we have seen the last of the Tiger described in Blake's poem?

But here is how Tiger differs from other great athletes whose talent erodes fades before our very eyes: we just can't bring ourselves to write Tiger off.

The typical media rush to judgment has proceeded at a snail's pace.

We keep waiting and waiting for the old Tiger Woods to emerge and resume the assault of Nicklaus' record.

That more than anything tells you how dominant Tiger's reign was on the tour.

Just as 52-year-old Fred Couples led the Masters after two rounds, and Tom Watson made a remarkable run at the 2009 British Open at the age of 59, we probably will still be waiting for Tiger to bare his fangs when he is 50 and eligible for the senior tour.

The question is whether he will still be playing competitive golf.

Tiger won his first PGA Tour event in 30 months just two weeks ago at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in Bay Hill and appeared primed to resume his march toward the majors record at the Masters.

"Tiger is back" screamed the headlines.

And just in time for the first major of the year.

But he faltered badly with a 75 in the second round at Augusta and was criticized for kicking his club after a bad tee shot.

On Saturday he failed to make a move and shot a disappointing 72.

He begins Sunday tied for 38th, 12 strokes off the lead.

Is he out of contention?

Of course.

But don't think there aren't those fans and media members who are calculating how Tiger can become a factor before the sun sets on another Masters.

Let's see, if he shoots a 64 and...

We didn't expect miracles from Muhammad Ali, Wayne Gretzky, Willie Mays, John McEnroe and other great athletes as their skills eroded.

But Tiger is only 36, which is still young in golf.

Records aside, there has never been anyone like Tiger Woods, and that includes Bobby Jones, Ben Hogan, Palmer, Nicklaus and all the greats.

We're not ready to give up on the the new Tiger just yet.

The question is will we ever?