Tiger Woods recaptured the innocence of boyhood when playing almost in darkness to capture the WGC/NEC Invitational at Firestone late on Sunday evening. But the realities of a commercial, adult world returned yesterday in a flight from here to California for a $1.5 million exhibition against Sergio Garcia: the so-called Battle of Bighorn.

In his wake, he left would-be rivals in turmoil as they struggled to come to terms with the phenomenal impact he is having on their sport.

"If this continues, it is not good for the game," commented Nick Price on Woods's 11-stroke victory margin over his nearest challengers, Phillip Price and Justin Leonard. "But the challenge will have to come from someone else. I'm on the back nine of my career."

Paul Azinger, on the other hand, deplored the extent to which television is becoming dominated by one player. "The networks are showing too much of him (Woods) alone," said the 1993 USPGA champion. "The tour is a package. What he has done is incredible, but to show so much of him and ignore the others is a mistake."

The real mood of the tournament professionals was probably caught most accurately, however, by Garcia who, ironically, failed to get an invitation to Firestone. "Some players are not able to play as well as they used to because they feel intimidated," said the 20-year-old. "But I believe he can be beaten."

Meanwhile for Woods, the magic shows no signs of diminishing. And the wonderful thing is that he is enjoying every moment of it. "This is how it used to be - this is how I grew up playing," he said of the scene down the 18th on Sunday night, when he could just about see the flag 168 yards in the distance as he stood over an eight-iron shot.

As to whether he savoured the superb execution of the shot, he said: "I could see it in the air, with a nice little two-yard draw but from there, as it was falling, I couldn't see anything." He went on: "I used to sneak out on the golf course to go play in the twilight like it was out there.

"My dad and I used to have two holes to play in pitch darkness. And you had to call the shot you were going to hit, because that was the only way you knew where it was going to go. It's right-hand side, two-yard draw or three-yard cut-back on the left side. So it should be down the left side, just left of the middle.

"That's the way I grew up playing, so playing the 18th out there was just like going back to my junior days." Which, of course, he could afford to enjoy, given the extent of his lead. As he admitted: "If the tournament was tied, I guarantee we would have stopped."

With a $1 million winner's cheque, Woods pushed his tournament earnings for this year to $7.69 million. And by successfully defending the Memorial, USPGA and now the NEC this year, he became the first player since Johnny Miller in 1975 to retain three titles. He also became the first player since Sam Snead (1938 and 1950) to win eight or more tournaments in two different years. Byron Nelson did it in 1944 and 1949 and Ben Hogan did it in 1946 and 1948.

Finally, he pledged to get better. "I now understand how to play the game and I'm going to continue to work hard," he said. "With more experience I should become a better player. I'm better now than I was last year and hopefully, I will be better again this time next year."

Which means that barring some unforeseen development, he will continue to dominate, for the simple reason that he is already a more accomplished player than any of his rivals. And despite his enormous wealth, he happens to work harder than any of them so as to remain that way.