Tiger Woods not invincible anymore

Tiger Woods looked just a little more human as he trudged off the 18th green at the US Masters.

During a long, difficult week at Augusta National, Woods showed things never seen before, as his bid for a record third successive green jacket sank without trace on Sunday. 

There was an unfamiliar pained expression that came following an even rarer moment of self-doubt when he went against his better judgment on the third hole, his shot sailing over the green into the azaleas and resulting in a double bogey. 

There was the shell-shocked look that followed as a rattled Woods bogeyed three more holes on the front nine to plummet down the leader board and out of contention. 

Before that, on Saturday, there was the huge gallery looking on at 18 wondering if that really was a desperate Woods needing a nerve-jangling four-putt to make the cut to avoiding making his first early exit from a major tournament as a professional. 

"It was one of those weeks where I just couldn't get anything going for an extended period of time," said Woods after a final round of 75 left him nine shots behind winner Mike Weir.

"No one has ever done it (won three successive Masters) so obviously it has been proven it's not easy." 

But throughout his career, until recently, Woods has made the difficult, even the near impossible, look just that -- easy.

Eight majors, including three Masters, 37 PGA Tour wins, a Ryder Cup and countless millions in the bank has underlined Woods's utter dominance of the sport.

But since last year's British Open when the world number one's bid for the title was blown away in the howling wind and rain of Muirfield with a third round 81 -- his worst score as a professional -- more-and-more of the 27-year-old American's human frailties have been exposed.

While he remains the man to beat week in and week out, Woods is not longer regarded as the invincible foe he once was.

At last year's PGA championship, unheralded journeyman Rich Beem stood his ground

Woods underwent knee surgery at the end of last season, which delayed his start to this year's campaign, and while he quickly found his stride winning three events, he has faltered badly at the two big tournaments since his return, The Masters and the Players Championship.

There are now signs that 'a life', with all its distractions may be creeping into Woods's game.

From an early age, Woods's father had desperately and successfully urged his son to block out distractions and focus on the game.

That focus is now being tested with Woods being constantly asked on his opinions on everything from the war in Iraq to Augusta's controversial all-male membership policy -- for which he was taken to task from both sides.

But more significantly Woods appears to have found another love besides golf -- in the Swedish model Elin Nordegren.

"What I've always liked about Tiger is his work ethic," said six-times Masters champion Jack Nicklaus. "I like his focus and the fact he wants to be the best.

"I wanted to be the best too, but he has really pushed everything else aside to do that.

"Do I think I could have been a better player if I would have pushed everything else aside and focused on it? Yeah, probably.

"But do I think I would have missed something in life?

"I'm far more happy with my five kids and 16 grandkids to be worrying about a golf tournament.

"I mean golf is a game. I'm here today because of a golf game, it's been great to me. But it wasn't the only thing in my life.