When Woods tees off against Brendan Jones, a little-known Australian, in the World Match Play at Dove Mountain in Tucson, many expect the world No 1 to perform with even more distinction than he did on his previous appearance at the US Open last June.

Whether this is fair on Woods is a moot point. Not only was Tiger’s victory in a play-off at Torrey Pines truly extraordinary – he shrugged aside the pain of four stress fractures in his left leg as well as a torn anterior cruciate ligament – but it needs to be remembered he’s undergone significant knee surgery and didn’t play any golf whatsoever for five months.

In all the circumstances is it reasonable after eight months away from competitive golf to expect Woods to click back into the old routine and carry on exactly where he left off?

The short answer to that question, of course, is ‘No’.

In almost any other sport, even the greatest athletes would expect to need game time to recapture past glories after such a protracted lay-off. The perception of Woods as a golfing Superman is so well established, mind you, that you almost expect to see him re-appear in the desert wearing a cape and tights rather than a Nike cap.

Yet for all his physical strength, extraordinary mental resilience and glorious talent, Tiger is a mere mortal with the same frailties in his joints as other men. The winner of 14 major championships has now undergone surgery on the same knee no fewer than four times and it’s anyone’s guess what the future holds.

Mentally, it’s reasonable to expect Tiger will be more ambitious than ever to surpass Jack Nicklaus‘ record haul of 18 victories. As Padraig Harrington, who took advantage of the world No 1′s absence last summer to win both the Open and US PGA championships, noted: “I actually think he’ll come back better. When something is taken away from you, you want it even more.”

Physically, though, it remains to be seen how Woods is affected. The left knee plays a prominent part in executing the swing. Ernie Els, who also has undergone surgery to repair a torn ligament, doesn’t minimise its meaning. “You know, your left knee is very important in the golf swing,” recalled the big South African. “I mean, I still felt it at least a year, a year and a half after the surgery. So it’s something that’s major. Every time you asked me about my knee, I said it was fine, but it wasn’t.”

Unlike contact sports, Woods won’t have to fret over the risk of making a tackle or colliding with an opponent. That said, even if his knee comes through the test of competition without flinching, it’s possible, after such a long absence, that other parts of his body may react to the stress of rivalry. Just think of how Eduardo, nine months after a leg break, made such a notable comeback for Arsenal earlier this month, scoring twice against Cardiff in the FA Cup, only to pick up a hamstring injury.

As yet, it’s not clear exactly what changes Tiger has made to his swing in order to protect his knee. Hank Haney, his coach, says we’ll notice an adjustment in the finish. “In practice, Tiger’s been working on the same stuff that he’s always been working on, but he’ll be able to do it with a strong leg now,” he said. “It will be a little different in the finish because his knee doesn’t give way. But Tiger is human. He has played one tournament in ten months.”

Steve Williams, his caddie, confirmed there were tweaks. “He’s had to modify his swing a little bit to accommodate his knee, but the guy always finds a way,” said the Kiwi. “I’m a little nervous myself to see how he’s going to come back.”

Woods’ former coach, Butch Harmon, says he would have advised the golfer to utilise “more of an old-school swing with a knee-drive motion”. One of golf’s foremost teachers, Harmon pondered: “How good will he be? There are two schools of thought. One says that he will be stronger and fitter than ever. The other says that after four surgeries on the same knee, it can’t be as strong.”

What isn’t up for debate is either how much golf has missed Tiger or how much the game needs him back. The TV audience for golf in America slumped during his absence. One of the reasons Tiger’s peers have talked up his comeback is because they have as much of a vested interest in his success as he does.

Of course, you don’t bet against brilliance. Back in 1950, no-one posted a lower 72-hole score than Hogan on his comeback just 11 months after colliding with a Greyhound bus. Unfortunately for Hogan, Sam Snead matched his efforts and won the play-off.

Even so, it was a remarkable effort, which earlier prompted Cary Middlecoff to describe Hogan as a walking miracle. “He can’t possibly be on his game after that long lay-off,” reflected the golfer. “If he wins this thing, believe me, it won’t be with his game. It’ll be with his heart.”

Nearly 60 years on and the same thing can surely be said about Tiger in Tucson.