Tiger Woods’ late father, Earl, once said that things that could derail his son’s career were a bad injury or a bad marriage. It was the qualifying adjective that was the pertinent point.

A knee injury that required surgery at the end of 2002 slowed Tiger down only marginally while his marriage to Elin Nordegren in 2004 appears to have had a wholly positive effect on the world No l. Her support, and that of all his friends and family, was required more than ever when Earl passed away in May.

If turning 30 was a landmark of sorts for Woods, this season took on a poignancy he would never have wished for when his father finally succumbed to the cancer he had fought for eight years.

"My dad was my best friend and greatest role model, and I will miss him deeply", Woods said in a moving tribute, while delivering his winner’s speech at the end of 135th Open Championship which took place at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club, Hoylake, England between July 16 – 23.

"I’m overwhelmed when I think of all of the great things he accomplished in his life. He was an amazing dad, coach, mentor, soldier, husband and friend.

I wouldn’t be where I am today without him, and I’m honoured to continue his legacy of sharing and caring," declared the golf prodigy who sobbed in tears all through the speech making.

Earl Woods, who did two tours of duty as a Green Beret in Vietnam, developed a passion for golf that he passed on to his son when he was but a toddler in nappies. Encouraged, disciplined, trained, moulded, loved, Tiger was never the victim of pushy parent syndrome, as his continuing passion for the game demonstrates. ‘I knew Tiger was special the day he was born, "But Tiger was not created to be a golfer. He was made to be a good person, and that came first in our family", had declared to the World several times before he died.

Prominent in the early stages of his son’s career, Earl stepped back as Tiger matured into a person leading his own life. But Earl remained active behind the scenes in activities such as the Tiger Woods Foundation and he was a prime mover in setting up the Tiger Woods Learning Centre that opened in Anaheim, California in February.

One of the classic images from the Masters will remain the bear hug between father and son when Woods won his first Major championship by 12 strokes at Augusta in 997. When Woods won his fourth green jacket in 2005, Earl was not well enough to go to the course but was back at their rental home in the town.

Woods was as emotional as he has ever been in public when he said at the prizegiving that he could not wait to go back and share the moment with his ‘Pops’.

Tiger’s victory at St Andrews in 2005 was his 10th in a professional Major championship and combined with his three US Amateur titles he tied the mark of Bobby Jones for Major wins in both amateur and professional events. Jones achieved the feat when he was 28 and promptly retired from the game.

"To get to 13, with Jones, is amazing’, Woods said. ‘He had just an unbelievable career. He cut it short, too. To win that many tournaments that early in his career is amazing. I’ve been very blessed, I tell you that, to have had the luck and the fortune to win this many tournaments. It’s been a great ride."

Although he once held all four major titles at the same time, the one thing he has yet to replicate is Jones’s feat of winning four majors in the same season. Jones did it in 1930 and his win in The Open Championship came at Hoylake. Like Augusta National, the Old Course seems made for Woods and he obviously feels comfortable at both. Of the four other venues where he has won Majors, he also loves Pebble Beach, while Valhalla is a modern Jack Nicklaus design, Bethpage was monstrously long and Medinah also suits the bigger hitters. Woods has always embraced the links style of the game. Battling the elements does not faze him - growing up he would prefer playing on the wet and windy days rather than in the endless sunshine - but he did not consider his apprenticeship in links golf complete until he has won The Open away from St Andrews.

His near misses so far include a third place at Birkdale in 1998, fourth at Sandwich in 2003 and ninth at Troon in 2004.

‘There are some courses you just feel comfortable on, and the Old Course is certainly one of them, ‘Woods said’. I fell in love with it the first time I played it in 1995. Every hole was into the wind and I thought, what a great golf course.

I enjoy the lines here. I don’t feel uncomfortable over any shot. Whether Woods can find such instant rapport with Hoylake will be one of the fascinations of this year’s Open. Tiger Woods became the first player to win back-to-back Open Championships since Tom Watson (1982-83). He joined Phil Mickelson as the only two players to have won a major in each of the last two seasons. Mickelson has won a major in three consecutive years.

A rain of blessin to Tiger Woods (eagles digest magagine- keeping pple informed and adding value to lives)