He sat Tuesday, brimming in typical Tiger pre-tournament confidence, still stuck on 14 majors.
The triumph of 2008 was followed by reconstructive knee surgery followed by reconstructive life surgery. His career descended like a sky diver over the Torrey cliffs and he has yet to fully recoup that magical wind gust.
There were years when major-less seasons were seen as abject failures on Woods' scale, but he has settled into a recalibrated zone where last year's three-win season had to be seen as progress.
He climbed all the way back to No. 2 in the world, behind Rory Mcllroy, buoyed by the legitimate, if not guaranteed, prospect of future major successes.
Woods' shield is no longer impenetrable. He missed a rare cut last week after incurring a two-stroke penalty for improperly taking relief for an embedded ball.
"I don't recall ever having one like that, no," Woods said.
He admitted winning on tour is getting tougher. Some of young golfers he once inspired are now chasing him down.
"Each generation, it gets more difficult," Woods said. "…You have more guys going into the weekend with a chance to win, and they are. They can win from anyplace."
Torrey Pines is one of those comfortable sofas — Firestone and Augusta are two others — where Woods can reasonably expect to summon the past on his very command.
His memories of San Diego are easily, and happily, recollected. Woods reminisced about coming here as a "single-digit" aged kid to watch the Andy Williams Open.
He delighted telling the story of the time he was following Tom Watson on the eighth hole. Twice, Woods said, he ended up standing next to one of Watson's wayward shots.
Bruce Edwards, Watson's longtime caddie, took special note of the young spectator.
"He basically yelled at me," Woods recalled. "Saying, 'I moved you out of here once,' and basically moved me out of there twice."
That was a long, long time ago, for sure, but so was 2008.
Tiger isn't as transcendent anymore — but he now gets his PGA redraw, in the States, hoping this is the place he can still make a statement.
chris.dufresne@latimes.com