McDaniel insists that the opportunities are there for young African American golfers, that Woods has shown them that the door is opened. "There comes a time when you have to step up and go through the door and stand on the other side," said McDaniel, who has followed the progress of young, talented African Americans such as Tim O'Neal, Andy Walker, and Kevin Hall, all of whom have come close to making the PGA Tour, "but for one reason or another, they just haven't made it."

Hall is one of the sport's most inspiring stories, a four-year star at Ohio State despite being deaf, and though he fell short at Q-School the last two years, he has a legion of supporters.

Walker played for Pepperdine when it won the national title in 1997 and he's been knocking around the mini-tours and minor league circuit for a few years.

O'Neal — the only African American with full-time playing status on the Nationwide Tour — was a standout at Jackson State under coach Eddie Payton, the brother of the late and great Walter Payton and somewhat of a legend in his own right. Honest and forthright, Payton recently expressed to reporters in South Carolina a viewpoint that is similar to McDaniel's, as he insisted that the shortage of African Americans in pro golf in no way should be blamed on Woods, nor on those running the sport.

"Anytime an entire race of people has only one representative in any sport then there's a deficit," said Payton. "It's not the deficit of the individual; it's the deficit of the race for not developing and nurturing players so they can compete at that level."

An obstacle that cannot be minimized is the vice-like grip basketball has over youngsters, particularly those in the inner-city where there's a court on every street corner and the game is so accessible. McDaniel acknowledges that, but he insists that there exists another problem that could be addressed. "Too many [young African Americans] think golf is a foreign game and they don't know that our history in the game goes back 100 years," he said. "We not only had men who played it, but men who excelled at it," and names like Bill Spiller, Teddy Rhodes, Charlie Sifford, Lee Elder, Jim Dent and Jim Thorpe jump to mind.

Spiller and Rhodes had doors nailed shut to them, so did Sifford, though he eventually barged through and thus paved the way for others, including Woods. That door is open wider than it ever has been, but it will be up to African American leaders to point a flood of young players in the right direction. McDaniel places the challenge where it belongs, which is not on Woods.

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"In order for us to develop better talent, we have to develop it ourselves," said McDaniel, who is even more distressed that only three African American women have played on the LPGA Tour and none since LaRee Pearl Sugg in 2001.

"We have to open our own David Leadbetter-like schools, with our own instructors. We have to teach these kids how to play and get them involved in AJGA competition. That's the only way to go and until that happens, I'm afraid Tiger Woods will be the lone wolf."

Slide show Coming up aces A look at golf’s hot stars, on and off the course more photos

A lone wolf to be admired, not blamed, for he's done all he can do.

He can win major championships on his own, but for this fight, he needs help.