Last Swilcan Wave For Woods?

Tiger Woods looks on from the Swilcan Bridge Tuesday during an Open Championship practice round. He will cross it at least twice more as a competitor, but how many more times after that? Photo: Warren Little, Getty Images

ST. ANDREWS, SCOTLAND | At some point this week, perhaps Friday afternoon if things don’t go well or later on Sunday, Tiger Woods will cross the Swilcan Bridge and we will be left to wonder whether it might be the last time he does so as a competitor.

Arnold Palmer stood atop the bridge and waved goodbye to the Old Course in 1995 and Jack Nicklaus did it in 2000, their poses captured by cameras and watery-eyed memories as generations of fans shared their own farewells, a cheering hug of gratitude going both ways.

This is Woods’ sixth Open Championship at the Old Course, and given that he will be into his 50s and with a reconstructed body older than its years the next time the Claret Jug is up for grabs here, it’s hard not to wonder whe...