TIGER Woods will go down in history as one the greatest golfers of all time.

That much he is assured of. He has won 14 majors, spent a record 683 weeks as world number one and generally inspired many others to follow in his footsteps.

His image took a severe battering several years ago when his extensive extra marital affairs were exposed.

Yet, from a purely sporting perspective, the right-minded among us will look back when Tiger eventually packs up his clubs and see a tremendously talented player whose name became synonymous with the game.

But the key is knowing when to stop. Knowing when enough is enough.

There is nothing worse or soul-destroying than a sportsman carrying on, trying to emulate past glories, when they are no longer capable of such feats.

You can’t imagine Roger Federer hacking his way through the Wimbledon qualifiers when not at the peak of his powers.

It would almost be beneath someone of such stature.

Seven-time world snooker champion Stephen Hendry walked away while at the top of his sport. There is no shame in that.

Woods, now aged 40, is not the player he once was and may never be.

Three back surgeries in the last 18 months have hugely limited his course time — he last played competitively in August — and left him languishing 445th in the world rankings.

US Ryder Cup captain Davis Love III believes Woods can still play a part in September’s showpiece but that would require an almighty turnaround in fortune.

It would be great if he could once again replicate what brought him so much success — second on the all-time majors list behind Jack Nicklaus.

But the danger is he will tarnish how people will look back on his career and that would be a shame.