Tiger Woods car crash: Golf 'running out of patience' with former world No 1 who remains 'important ally' in sport's future

When Rory McIlroy completed the career Grand Slam last April at The Masters, ending an 11-year wait for his elusive fifth major title, he opened his victory press conference with: "What are we all going to talk about next year?"

Fast forward 12 months, and build-up to his title defence has been dominated by the previous entrant into golf's Grand Slam club and a player McIlroy looks to emulate by successfully defending the Green Jacket.

Woods was working towards another injury return when he was arrested after being involved in a car crash - near his Florida home - on March 27, with his Land Rover travelling 'at high speeds' when he clipped a truck and rolled onto its side.

"I think a lot of people are running out of patience now [with Tiger]," former Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley told a media call ahead of The Masters. "He [Woods] realises the seriousness of the situation, as he said [in his statement], and I think it's a line in the sand.

"It's quite clear he was just trying to accelerate things, trying to put in the reps, trying to put in the practice in order to get to Augusta National. Obviously, he's flipped on the wrong side of it.

"I think he [Woods] has been more criticised in the last week than he has ever before in any kind of scandal that he's been involved in. Everybody realises this is the end of the road and the last-chance saloon. He's very fortunate that he's not in bigger trouble."