'Thank you, Tiger' - How emotional St Andrews swansong unfolded for Tiger Woods at the 150th Open

It was not the final farewell he wanted. But if this was the last dance for Tiger Woods at the home of golf, then he can be assured that it was still a memorable one.

While it was deflating to witness the 15-time major winner struggle to the extent he missed the cut by nine strokes, there was something equally uplifting about having him at the tournament at all.

As he made his way down the 18th fairway of the Old Course, and over the Swilcan Bridge, for perhaps the final time, with the sun splitting the skies and loud cheers ringing in the air, the scoreboard barely seemed to matter.

His presence alone was meaningful enough.

The ovation from the thousands who lined the course spoke of the appreciation felt not only for his past glories at St Andrews, winning The Open here in 2000 and 2005, but his incredible effort in ensuring he could take part at all.

The champion that he is, his strategy coming in would have undoubtedly involved competing once again for the Claret Jug, although deep down he likely knew that he was chasing a miracle given his condition.

The limp, the winces, the stiffness reflected the pain of four back surgeries combined with devastating leg injuries suffered in a car crash last year. Participation was his true victory, and one that meant an awful lot to him, given the significance of the 150th Open taking place at his favourite venue.

"It still is. This is my favourite golf course," said Woods afterwards. "I fell in love with it back in 1995. And it hasn't changed. I just love how it can be played in so many different ways. And, again, today, we had winter this morning and we had summer this afternoon. So it's just the way it goes around here.

Tiger Woods acknowledges the crowd as he crosses the Swilcan Bridge at the Old Course, St Andrews. (Photo by Ross Parker / SNS Group)

"Yesterday I just absolutely pummelled a drive at 14 and hit it over 400 yards. And it was down off the right. The next thing you know, my second shot's in off the left. It did a complete 180.

"And we're all looking at each other going, what is going on here? Some of us were talking about that at breakfast this morning. Like, this golf course is something else, how it just changes.

"But still, the ovation I got at 18 is something I'll always remember just because I don't know if I'll ever be able to play another one again, here. Future ones, yes, but I don't know if I'll be able to be around for the next one."

Woods will be 54 by the time the Open is next likely to return to St Andrews in 2030. He is realistic enough to accept he has almost certainly played his last, but also hopeful enough not to close the door entirely.

He resisted the temptation to pause on the Swilcan Bridge for the ceremonial send-off, instead waving his cap at the cheering crowds as he continued his walk through towards the 18th green without stopping. It was then the tears started as reality dawned on him.

"As I walked further along the fairway, I saw Rory [McIlroy] right there. He gave me the tip of the cap. It was a pretty cool – the nods I was getting from guys as they were going out and I was coming in, just the respect, that was pretty neat. And from a players' fraternity level, it's neat to see that and feel that.

"And then as I got into the shot – or closer to the green, more into the hole, the ovation got louder. You could feel the warmth and you could feel the people from both sides. It felt like the whole tournament was right there.

"And they all had appreciated what I've done here for the years I've played – I've won two championships here – my British Open success and all my times I've enjoyed here in Scotland. I felt like it just came to a head right there as I was walking to my golf ball."

Having only finished his first round at half past nine the previous night, carding a six-over par 78 after a painfully slow six-hour slog, Woods was back out among the early starters with the aim of recovering the damage.

He set himself a target of shooting 66 to make the cut – a score he had made around the Old Course twice before in each of his two previous victories.

He made the ideal start. By the third hole he was already four shots better off than round one. Two steady pars followed by a birdie – courtesy of holing a 28-footer at the third – was how the American would have envisaged starting his tournament on Thursday, rather than the double bogey, par, bogey that left him an uphill task.

Having established the early momentum he needed, carding a bogey at the very next hole felt like a dagger to the heart, not only to Tiger but the army of worshippers willing him on.

A birdie putt that ghosted over the hole at five was further anguish, and Tiger could not hide his despair, his knees buckling as the ball refused to drop into the cup. He knew such a moment could be make-or-break for his weekend hopes.

In truth, it was all but over by the time he reached the turn. Six-over had become seven-over following another bogey at six, leaving him needing to produce a superhuman effort down the stretch.

Something he would have been more than capable of in his pomp, but not now. Birdie opportunities were missed on the back nine, including a lip-out on the last hole that summed up his tournament.

As he walked off the 18th green an American voice shouted: "Thank you, Tiger".

It may have ended too soon, but the 150th Open would not have been the same without him.

Tiger Woods admits 150th Open may have been his last at St Andrews