During the decade when Tiger Woods dominated professional golf – and the word "dominated" does not really do justice to what he did – I thought that a good column would ask his fellow professionals if they were getting a little tired of it.

The man earned everything, or won so often that it seemed like it was all. Between 1999 and 2009, Woods recorded 64 of his 79 wins at the PGA Tour and won 13 of his 14 major tournaments. He made the cut in 142 consecutive events, which is a record that could never even be approached, let alone broken. It could be his most impressive career achievement. He was just always there.

So, I asked, and the other golfers mostly laughed, because, at that time, being tired of losing to Tiger was like being tired of gravity. What was the point?

But one of them also said, "Are you kidding? He earns money for everyone."

That was certainly true, and the most lucid people who have earned a living from the sport have recognized it easily. This was true for small tournaments that had no trouble finding sponsors, and local courses that saw a slight increase in the number of innings played, and manufacturers whose products were requested, and well sure for the other professional players who knew that crowds and mentions, prices, television ratings and the entire revenue stream were making their way through a powerful lock that wore red on Sunday and was pumping his fist in triumph. It was quite remarkable.

What's going on right now is not quite that, but it's a welcome reminder for all those who drink in the Tiger's trough. Sunday, while Woods, 42, was not only competing at the British Open, but briefly held ahead of the last nine, television ratings for the final day of the tournament have reached their highest level in 18 years … Tiger has completed a career grand slam in St. Andrews at the age of 24.

When it is over, however, as we have seen in the past, its place will not be filled by golfers who are only golfers. In fact, it will not be filled at all.

The sport recognizes it, but does not know how to fix it. It could be that there is nothing to repair and that the people who have benefited from the fruits of his first run, and who experience it once more during his recent rebirth, are simply happy that Tiger Woods have arrived. Recreate it when he's finished, or try to transfer the excitement that he brings to another guy in a polyester shirt, just will not happen.

The trends of the industry in recent years have been troubling. The National Golf Foundation estimates that 150-175 courses have been closed nationwide in 2017, although the reasons for the retreat are much deeper than any factor. The game is time consuming, expensive and, incidentally, difficult. For an increasingly frenzied, money-conscious and happier population with instant gratification, this is not a good combination. The equipment companies are suffering as a result, and Nike has completely abandoned this late business in 2016.

A comeback by Tiger Woods is not going to fix all that. On the one hand, how long can it last this time? However, it can push the sport a little further into the country's consciousness, which is more than what you can say for Justin Thomas, Dustin Johnson, Justin Rose or any of the current superstars who seem to have a variation of the same name.

The real question is why Woods is so transfixing, even for those who do not follow the game closely? Fascination predates revelations about his personal life, prior to his struggles and return from injury, and comes to this indefinable question of what constitutes "cool". Tiger Woods was cool in a way that golf had rarely seen, that ridiculously talented Afro-Asian – American Phenomenon who won six USGA titles (three Amateur Junior and three US Amateur) before even being pro at the age of 20 years. Arnold Palmer was also cool in his day, and also drew attention to the sport, but not like

Maybe it's that simple. If Tiger plays, golf is cool. Not for Loyalists who are there every weekend, either watching or hacking behind a tree, but for those who are in the margins. They are not always there, but they showed up over the weekend and it was not to see Kevin Kisner. It was for this guy who makes money for everyone.

For a little while, anyway, he does it again.