Four: Tiger into history

"Tiger," came the question.

"If you were to meet the ghost of Bobby Jones in the Augusta National clubhouse tonight, what would you say to him?"

It was the only sort of question that could break Tiger Woods out of the zone, the mindset that he'd worked himself into all day as he set about becoming the first player to hold all four professional majors - the US Masters, the US Open, the British Open and the US PGA - at the one time.

"That's a weird one," contemplated Woods, before replying: "Well, the first think I'd probably say is, `what the heck are you doing here?', and then I'd probably say, `are you having a beer?"'

Jones was the only player to win the old Grand Slam of Golf, back in the summer of 1930, when he won the British Open and British Amateur along with the US Open and the US Amateur. He retired from competitive golf at the age of 28, but Augusta National is his legacy. He found the land, an old orchard, and transformed it into a golf course with course designer Alister Mackenzie.

In golfing terms, the only comparison to what Woods achieved on that same terrain yesterday is what Jones managed to achieve all of 71 years ago. So, is it a Grand Slam? "I've won all four majors," replied Woods.

All of which leaves the interpretation open to debate. What is beyond doubt, however, is that Woods has performed a sporting feat that is quite astonishing, something that has never previously been achieved in professional golf and something that many people thought they would never see accomplished. Yet again, he has raised the bar for the rest of the professional golfing world.

"I just got into the zone, and worked on every single shot out there today," said Woods. "I was so focused on everything that when I realised that putt on the 18th was my last, and what I had achieved, I just lost it a little bit."

Even super heroes are allowed to shed a tear.

"This win is very special. When I won in 1997, I was a little young, a little naive. I didn't really appreciate what I had accomplished. I've been around the block a few times since then and I have a better appreciation of what it takes to win a major championship. So many things go into winning. You've got to have your game peak at the right time. You've got to have some luck, get the right breaks. I guess some of the golfing gods must be looking down on me because I've been lucky to win for a fourth straight time."

`When I realised that putt on the 18th was my last, and what I had achieved, I just lost it a little bit.'

- Tiger Woods

He added: "I haven't accomplished anything as great as this in my career. I've won four majors, four consecutive majors which has never been done before, and that is something special." The next step on his one-man major mission is the US Open in Tulsa, Oklahoma in two months times. "Can you maintain the streak, Tiger?" "We'll see come June," comes the reply, again with that engaging smile.

The history-maker still has work to do, it seems.