In this age of advanced medical technology, it’s almost unthinkable that Tiger Woods could become the Bobby Orr of golf: the game’s best, sidelined by bad knees.
That comparison may be a bit of a stretch, but not as bad as one fan’s on Tiger’s own website, who compared Woods to Elvis, saying “Don’t worry about records, all we need is you being fit and come back to (sic) intertain us. ”
OK, so he’s not retiring, and he’s certainly not ready to be entombed in front of his gaudy Jupiter Island, Fla., mansion, but another injury is reason for concern.
Woods announced this week he will not be competing at the Wells Fargo Championship next week because of what his camp is calling a “minor” knee injury.
It can’t continue, can it? Rookies, teens and twentysomethings continue to thrive in the pro ranks and, every week, those in the know say this is the tournament where experience will win out.
That’s what they said would happen at the Masters, but PGA Tour rookie Charl Schwartzel came along and blew that theory, and the likes of Tiger and Phil, out of the water.
And, when three of the four sitting major champions — Schwartzel, Louis Oosthuizen and world No. 1 Martin Kaymer — teed it up in Malaysia last week, it was Matteo Manassero who snuck in his second European Tour victory two days ahead of his 19th birthday.
Already holding the title of the European Tour’s youngest victor after taking the Castello Masters last year, Manassero shot up to No.
They might not boast a major title between them, yet Luke Donald and Lee Westwood were waging an all-British battle on Saturday to be acclaimed as the best golfer on earth. 
Driving force: Lee Westwood has a five-shot lead to take into the final round of the Indonesian Masters Photo: EPA
It is over 10,000 miles from South Carolina, scene of Donald’s surge to a one-shot lead at the Heritage Classic, to Jakarta, where Westwood heads the leaderboard by five for Sunday’s final round of the Indonesian Masters. But Britain’s top two are united by their resolve to usurp Martin Kaymer as world No 1 on Monday morning.
Rory McIlroy plays a shot during his third round at the Malaysian Open. Photograph: Ian Walton/Getty Images
A solitary birdie kept Rory McIlroy out in front as rain curtailed the third round of the Malaysian Open in Kuala Lumpur. The Northern Irishman, who continues to responded positively to his Masters collapse last weekend, had completed nine holes on Saturday when bad light ended play, after heavy rain forced an earlier delay of more than three hours.
The single shot he picked up came with a 10-foot putt at the par-four ninth and it enabled him to claim a two-shot lead on 12 under, having started the day level with Alexander Noren of Sweden.
“I felt I probably should have been a couple better,” McIlroy said.
PHILADELPHIA — For the second week in a row, under much less pressure and under many fewer cameras, Rory McIlroy blew a tournament he was leading on Sunday.
Last week it was the Masters and this week it was the Malaysian Open, but it’s the same song, different verse. McIlroy was in good shape to win the title and walked off singing the same tune.
“I’m very disappointed at the minute, and I’m sure I will be for the next few days, but I’ll get over it,” McIlroy said. “I’ve got to take the positives, and the positives were I led this golf tournament for 63 holes.”
That quote was after the Masters.
“At this moment I’m pretty disappointed, but it was a good week,” said McIlroy.
As any Arsenal fan knows, managing expectation is a key ingredient to the enjoyment of sport. 
Oh no: Rory McIlroy looks distraught after his Masters challenge fell away on Sunday Photo: AP By Sarah Crompton 7:34PM BST 12 Apr 2011
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The agony of truly expecting to win, and then discovering that somehow you have managed to lose, is the worst feeling in the world.
Anticipating pleasure and being disappointed is always more depressing than approaching an event with low expectations and finding them fulfilled (an attitude West Brom fans, for example, have carefully cultivated over the years.)
A big event such as the Grand National or The Masters always promises much pleasure, yet waking up after the weekend I found myself downcast.