He was hurt that day but we assumed he would come right and make a strong run at Nicklaus' record 18 majors. He had so much time, he was 32 and Nicklaus was 46 when he won his final major, and Tom Watson had shown what could be done when a year shy of his 60th birthday he lost a playoff for the British Open.
Ten years on, there's been no alteration to the collection of titles but there have been changes for Woods after fusion surgery to his back.
Crowds are surging back to the fairways as momentum gathers about Woods' form and health. The question is on the front burner for the fans no matter what Greg Norman and a range of former professionals feel about Woods' chances.
After his best finish in five years, Woods is teeing off again today at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in Bay Hill in what looms as his final preparation for a return to the famed Augusta course next month where he has won four Masters green jackets.
Broadcasters are glowing about the revenue spinoffs, while sponsors are more cautious than the fans who feel the charisma when Woods gets his game on.
Since Woods won at Torrey Pines 10 years ago, the talent on the PGA tour has deepened as men such as Dustin Johnson, Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas, Jon Rahm, Rory McIlroy, Jason Day, Justin Rose and Rickie Fowler have squared off against the sustained gifts of Phil Mickelson and Bubba Watson.
None has brought the sustained charismatic venom Woods brought to his game and which began to re-emerge in his last tournament. He was in the zone, and the crowds felt it.
As Woods' return gathers pace, the headlines and coverage of his exploits have widened to a level where many feel it is out of context and belittles his competitors.
They have a point but news and sports coverage responds to public clamour and if they ignore indicators in that market, then they are running a flawed business model. The majority of television analysts may not buy into the hype about Woods' comeback but when he is showing more form than he has for years, those who tune in or visit the course are hankering for that information.
When his game was in full flow, Woods rocked Augusta. No one played that course with more panache than Woods, a man whose game defied the odds and the old systemic racist mores at the club.
There's been a lull of 13 years since Woods won at Augusta when he beat Chris DiMarco on the first sudden-death hole. Winners since have included lesser fancied champions such as Danny Willett before Sergio Garcia's famous first major last year.
Everyone glowed after that win for the Spaniard. What price for the same emotion walking alongside Woods when he returns to the famous fairways and greens in Georgia?
