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And then there was none. All things being equal, Tiger Woods, the greatest golfer of the generation, will leave Melbourne on Sunday night without the solitary golf title he arrived with.
It will be the first time since he turned professional in 1996 that Woods has gone a year without a win, and by his own admission, it might be a while before he adds to his total of 83 tournament victories.
Woods shot a commendable one-over par 72 in the second round of the Australian Masters at Victoria Golf Club on Friday.
The score left him at one under for the tournament, nine shots behind the 36-hole leader Adam Bland who started the tournament as a 150-1 chance with bookmakers.
There have been times when nine shots merely made the challenge all the more interesting.
But not now.
Not much is working as it should for Woods.
His touch around the greens has deserted him, and on a tight, well-bunkered course like Victoria, his prodigious distance is of little advantage.
For the fourth time in his career Woods’ swing has been redesigned and the new techniques are far from bedded down.
“It takes time,” Woods said after Friday’s round.
“There were situations out there today that I hadn’t practised, hadn’t rehearsed.
“I haven’t been hitting those low shots that I needed today, and then you have to bend them.
“It’ll come, it’s just not there yet.”
Woods last tournament victory came 12 months ago in the Australian Masters at Kingston Heath.
That was before his life was turned upside down by his serial infidelity and marriage break-up and an ensuing five-month break from golf.
Since then his best efforts have been fourth placings in the US Masters and the US Open, far from shabby efforts.
But as is the case in this Australian Masters, he has never been in a winning position.
Woods has been paid around $3 million to play in Melbourne and will do his best to justify the fee – if such a thing is ever possible.
“If I can just make some putts …,” he said.
“You just have to be patient.”