Five-time Open champion Tom Watson fears for the future of Tiger Woods if he is forced into having knee replacement surgery.
Woods misses his second successive major this week and has not played competitively since limping out of the Players Championship in Florida on May 12.
No date has been set for the 35-year-old's comeback yet and there was even speculation on Monday that Woods, who has already had four knee operations, might not play again this year - or even retire.
Watson, now 61, overcame a hip replacement to produce one of the most amazing feats ever in sport at Turnberry two years ago, having a putt to win a record-equalling sixth Claret Jug before losing a play-off to fellow American Stewart Cink.
Out of the spotlight: There was intense speculation on Monday that Woods could be forced into retirement
'With a hip you put a new one in and here we go,' he said today. 'The knee takes a lot more stress - it's out there on its lonesome and rotates.
'Whether he is going to have a total knee replacement who knows, but that may be a more difficult thing to come back from if he does.
'The most important thing is for him to get well so he can put the force on it that he has to for his swing.
'He loves to work out, but can it be put back in shape is the question - that's the concern - and whether it's going to prevent him from dominating the game again who knows.
'Nobody has ever dominated the game like he has.'
Woods won the last of his 14 majors over three years ago - he went in for knee reconstruction surgery immediately after that and was out for eight months - and has not won any titles since his sex scandal hit the headlines late in 2009.
The last American winner of a major was Phil Mickelson at The Masters 15 months ago and Watson added: 'A vacuum has been left by Woods getting hurt and having personal problems.'
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