So this is Tigermania, vintage 2004. Watching the great man wobble and stumble and finally right himself just in time to save himself the embarrassment of missing the cut.
Now that's charisma.
For a long stretch yesterday afternoon and early evening at the PGA Championship, the drama revolved not around the battle of the giants at the top of the leaderboard, but the potential for Tiger Woods to miss his first cut since 1998.
In the end, he pulled the strands of his ragged golf game together long enough to deliver a couple of back-to-back birdies down the stretch and avoid being dismissed before the weekend.
It doesn't mean that Woods' crown as world No. 1 is guaranteed to survive the weekend.
Both his chief tormenters, Ernie Els and Vijay Singh, are high on the leaderboard and if one of them wins this thing, it's well within the realm of mathematical probability that Woods will have to relinquish his throne.
But it does mean that Woods is still in the hunt, having made his 129th consecutive PGA Tour cut, by far the longest such streak in history. And if you think the streak doesn't mean a great deal to Woods, think again.
Tiger takes pride in many of his accomplishments, but few have been as close to his heart as this streak.
"It's always a goal of mine to be as consistent as I can be," he said. "If you're always giving yourself chances to win, then you'll win your share. That's what making cuts is all about: grinding it out, week after week, bringing the same intensity to every round. That's what it means to be a professional."
He surpassed Byron Nelson's previous record of 113 last season.
Woods contends he hasn't missed an actual cut since the 1997 Canadian Open at Royal Montreal, which is technically true.
But he withdrew from the ATT Pebble Beach National Pro-Am in 1998 when the event was postponed by bad weather. In that event, he shot 76-72 in the first two rounds and undoubtedly would have missed the cut on merit.
Whichever benchmark you choose to accept, it still is an amazing accomplishment. In a sport where players measure their no-cut streaks in weeks, he has survived unblemished for more than six years.
"I'm very proud of it," he said. "Sometimes I think people take it for granted but it has lasted for a few years now and that means I've been more consistent than most.
"We all have our bad days but to keep this kind of streak alive, you have to keep finding it within yourself to get the job done, no matter what."
Over the years, there have been times when he was in danger of being sent packing before the weekend, yet each and every time, he rallied in the closing holes to keep the streak alive, just as he did yesterday.
After his opening round 75, Woods came out with a strong start yesterday, with birdies at the first two holes. Consecutive bogeys at No. 5 and 6 put him at peril, however and that's where he stood on the 12th green.
He was two shots outside the cutline, staring at a 10-foot putt for par. If he missed it, it's hard to imagine even a man of Woods' determination coming back from that.
"That was a huge putt right there and I just told myself, 'Okay, let's build on this.' That's how it all started. I made a nice approach at 13, made the putt, then got the two birds at 16 and 17 to seal it."
All that got him, however, was a ticket to play on the weekend.
He has nine shots to make up. but the very fact he responded to yesterday's pressure to survive makes him believe anything is possible this weekend.
"The leaders didn't get away on me," he said. "They only added two shots. I'm still in the game. I just need to play one of those rounds in the mid-60s and I'll be all right come Sunday."
INEVITABLE
The way Els and Singh have been playing all year has made it seem inevitable that one of them will pass Woods before the season is out.
But yesterday's response to an intolerable threat to Woods' pride should also tell us that he won't give it up without a fight.
Tigermania may not be what it once was, but don't be fooled.
It might be poised for a comeback.
