NEWS: How will we cope?

The R&A, PGA of America, Tim Finchem and Paul Azinger will all be feeling the same today. Absolutely gutted. And that is not to mention the media, sponsors and, most of all, the fans.

Tiger Woods' victory at the US Open was always going to be looked back on as remarkable. To have come through 91 holes, with a double stress fracture of his left tibia and a knee which now requires reconstructive surgery on his anterior cruciate ligament, makes it almost unbelievable.

Some observers have claimed that Woods is, maybe not bad for the game, but that he makes it dull and predictable given the ease that he wins most tournaments. Well they are in for a treat over the next few months.

The rest of us can look forward to an Open without a three-time champion from this decade, the US PGA will be missing a four-time winnner from the last nine years and the FedEx Cup will have a new champion. The Ryder Cup will be nothing like the same event without the world number one.

Even in the team arena much of the hype is based around who might be best suited to playing with Woods, the first pairings we look for are the ones to take on Woods + 1 and the first singles that catches the eye is Tiger's opponent. And forget all the nonsense written about he isn't a team player - last time at The K Club he wn three points from five, two years before he won two-and-a-half. Both matches finished with a record 18.5-9.5 scoreline to the Europeans.

For those who like a bet, in particular a flutter on a few outsiders, this is also bad news. Woods normally starts any event he plays in at generally around the 2-1 mark. Ernie Els is the new favourite for the Open at 12-1, last week he was 20s.

The last two Major winners of 2008 will have to put up with questions over whether their victory is a worthy one from a field missing Woods. Those questions, thankfully, will die down in the years to come.

Remember Woods missed the cut at the US Open, for the first and only time as a professional, just a couple of weeks after his father Earl had died. Understandably he was in no fit mental state for a Major yet Geoff Ogilvy's win is mainly remembered for Phil Mickelson and Colin Montgomerie's late collapses.

Woods' close friend Mark O'Meara told Golf Digest.com that it might be a blessing in disguise.

"As big as he is in the game of golf, the game is even bigger. The Tour will survive. I think it will be good for the game and good for him to go away for six months.

"I think he's making the right choice in getting it done. I know his doctors, and they're the best in the world. In six months, he'll be better than new. It's time to realise the game is the thing that will benefit."

Finally, Jack Nicklaus' record of 18 Majors may be safe for a little while longer. The Golden Bear currently holds the record for the most consecutive Majors at a staggering 146. Woods would have broken that mark at the 2028 US Open. Sadly he now can't.