Tiger Woods May Have Finally Become a Mortal Golfer

Tiger Woods may finally have proved to the PGA Tour, sports world and fans across the globe that he's just an average golfer.

After walking off the ninth green in the first round of The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass, the pained look on his face and the slow, ginger steps he took spoke volumes about his health and his future as one of the premier golfers in the world. After shooting a 42 on the front nine while playing with Matt Kuchar and Martin Kaymer, it became evident those were the only holes Woods would play this weekend.

“I’m having a hard time walking,” Woods said to the media after his performance. He hit only one green in regulation.

Kuchar said Tiger “looked like he was in pain” during the early morning tee time. He added that he noticed Woods walking slowly and painfully as early as the second hole of the day. “He was just last to get the ball.”

Woods has had four operations on his left knee since 2008 when he won the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines. One of the surgeries was to repair and reconstruct the anterior cruciate ligament. He played with a broken leg as well at the event.

Betrayed by his left leg and Achilles pain that has plagued him for much of the PGA season, some now question whether Woods, who is “only” 35 years old, can still make a strong run at Jack Nicklaus and his record 18 major titles.

Woods currently has 14 major titles on his resume.

"The knee acted up and the Achilles followed after that,” Woods explained. “And then the calf started cramping up everything started getting tight, so it’s just a whole chain reaction.”

Just two days before the tournament, Woods played nine holes and told members of the media that his leg felt fine and that if it started to aggravate him, he would seek treatment during The Players Championship.

The injury is just one of many that have plagued Woods over the past two years. Aside from the injuries and surgery to repair knee damage, his private life also has been the topic of scrutiny, which may have played some role in his preparation for the game he holds near to his heart.

The 42 Woods shot on the front nine Thursday was his worst ever nine-hole score at TPC. This is also the second year in a row that Woods has had to withdraw from the Ponte Vedra event, arguably the fifth major on tour.

While Woods seems to be faltering and the questions linger if he can play serious golf in the future and put together a run like he had over the first decade of his career, other golfers are taking full advantage of the opportunity to show what they can do with a golf club.

Foreigners like Lee Westwood, Martin Kaymer and Luke Donald has risen to the top of the World Golf Rankings. Young players such as Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell show no fear when the Woods name comes up. Even young golfers on the tour such as Kuchar, Nick Watney and Bubba Watson have proven to be consistent competitors in the absence of the biggest attraction in golf.

Some would argue that they have passed him. Woods is currently eighth in the world golf rankings after holding down the top spot for 281 weeks from December 2005 until October 2010.

Woods appeared to be playing better at the start of the 2011 season, having teamed with Sean Foley to improve his swing and his game. Foley said he noticed a limp in Woods walk and was slower than his playing partners, walking some 20 to 40 yards behind the others.

Woods said one of the reasons he came to TPC was to prepare for the U.S. open which is five weeks away. Now those plans are on hold and his playing a tournament in the near future is in jeopardy.