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ST ANDREWS, Scotland — Walking over Swilcan Bridge on the 18th hole at the Old Course on Friday, Tiger Woods took off his hat, waved to the crowd in appreciation, but didn’t stop. It was an emotional moment, but not quite final, that couldn’t have been a better symbol of what the future holds for one of the sport’s greatest champions.

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As for how things have gone for Woods this particular week at St Andrews, that was also summed up very well just minutes later when he missed a short birdie that could have ended his round on a positive note. Through two days at the 150th Open Championship, there weren’t many smiles on the course for Woods, who followed Thursday’s miserable six-over 78 with a three-over 75 to finish his week at 9-over.

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“I’m a bit stuck not playing at the weekend, I definitely didn’t play well enough to be close,” he said. “This is my favorite golf course. I fell in love with it in 1995. And it hasn’t changed. I 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. That’s just the way it goes around here.”

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Woods said he hadn’t thought about his trip to the Swilcan Bridge. In fact, he was wondering where caddy Joe LaCava was as he approached the famous landmark. La Cava, along with Woods’ mates Matthew Fitzpatrick and Max Homa, had stopped walking to allow Tiger his moment. “As I was getting off the tee I felt the guys stop and I looked around, where the hell is Joey?” Woods said after his round. “He stopped there, so I gave him the club. That’s when I started to realize, hey, that’s when I started to think, the next time he comes here I might not be around.” Fellow legends Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus both stopped by and had bigger moments on the bridge, but at the time it was known to be their last appearance in the Open Championship. For Tiger, there has certainly been a new level of acceptance of frustration, but he reiterated Friday that he has no plans to stop trying.

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“I’m not retiring from the game,” he said. “But I don’t know if I will naturally be able to play here again when I come back. I will be able to play in the future British Open, yes.” When it became clear on Friday that a miraculous push to the cutline was not coming, the big crowds at St Andrews – recognizing that this might be it for Woods at the Home of Golf – did their best to cheer him on in the final stages . At the famed 17th Road Hole, staff at the Old Course Hotel, where he is staying this week, lined the green as Woods walked the fairway. “I had a few tears,” she said. “I’m not one to cry very often about anything. But when it comes to the game and the passing – just the passing – I was lucky enough in ’95 to watch Arnold hit his first tee shot in the second round as I drove to the range. And I could hear Jack playing his last, I was probably about four holes behind him. But just to hear the applause get louder and louder. I felt it as I walked in. People knew I wouldn’t make the cut at the number I was, but the applause got louder as I came home.”

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We apologize, but this video failed to load. “I’ve always respected that fact. I have always respected the traditions of the game. I put my heart and soul into this event all these years… and I think people understand that. And they knew my circumstances this year, just playing, period.” The final reactions came from his teammates as Woods played the 18th hole. Rory McIlroy was walking the first fairway as Tiger hit the 18th. The Northern Irishman looked and tipped his hat. As Woods lined up a birdie on the green, Justin Thomas motioned to his close friend from the first tee and Tiger raised his mouse in acknowledgment. “It was really cool,” he said. “The nods I was getting from the kids as they were coming out and coming in, just the respect, it was pretty neat. And from the level of the players’ brotherhood, it’s nice to see and feel that.”

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The next Open Championship at the Old Course has not been announced. Woods mentioned 2030 as a possible date, which is eight years away for the struggling 46-year-old. If that date turns out to be true, Woods didn’t seem optimistic about the competition, but a lot could change. Tiger was asked if this could be the last trip to his favorite golf course? “I don’t know. I’m sure my son would probably want me to come back here and play. I was fortunate enough to be awarded honorary membership of the R&A,” Woods said of the honor he received earlier this week. “I’ve got the locker my here right when you come in on the left here. That’s pretty neat. And because of that, I can have time for tees.”

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