Colin Montgomerie goes into the Irish Open at Adare Manor on Thursday at his lowest position in the world rankings for nearly 18 years.
Unable to command a place in either last month's Masters or last week's Players Championship, Montgomerie is now down to 88th and fully aware he has to arrest his slide to have any real hope of a ninth Ryder Cup cap in September.
The last time the 44-year-old Scot was ranked lower was October 1990 - before the first of his appearances against the Americans or the first of his record eight European Order of Merit titles.
It is so long ago, in fact, that Margaret Thatcher was Prime Minister, Stefan Edberg and Martina Navratilova were Wimbledon champions and Manchester United needed a replay to beat Crystal Palace in the FA Cup final.
Two weeks ago Montgomerie came back from a honeymoon and a five-week lay-off to trail in 70th out of 75 who made the cut at the Spanish Open.
Before departing he was asked if he had felt rustier than he thought would be the case and if he was looking forward to showing some better form in Limerick.
"Possibly," was his first answer, "hopefully" the second.
With his last top 10 stroke play finish four months ago he is not exactly brimming with confidence.
But he did also say in Seville: "I'm not losing heart here - I'm not a million miles away. This is a first event just to get back into it."
It was only last November that Montgomerie and Marc Warren won the World Cup for Scotland in China - and less than a year since a trip to Ireland brought him his last individual victory.
That was the European Open at the K Club, but he has an affection
for the Irish Open too. He triumphed in 1996, 1997 and 2001 to join Seve Ballesteros, Bernhard Langer and Nick Faldo as a three-time winner.
Padraig Harrington is the defending champion this time, having become the first home winner since John O'Leary in 1982 after a play-off with Welshman Bradley Dredge.
That was Adare Manor's first staging of the tournament and the long, tough lay-out prevented all but three players breaking par over the four days.
Harrington and Dredge, who lost in sudden death when he ran up a double bogey seven on the 18th, had finished five under and England's Simon Wakefield one under.
It was an emotional victory for the Dubliner - and it was followed, of course, by Open Championship glory at Carnoustie.
"As it turned out the Irish Open victory meant more than even I realised at the time," he says.
"I always found it very difficult to handle the pressure, the distractions and the general hype of an Irish Open.
"Years of that building up, the fact that no Irishman had won it in 25 years, the media hype going into the event and then to actually finally win the tournament was ever so big for me.
"It was a relief, but overall there was a sense of euphoria to go on and win it. Winning the play-off was a beautiful moment for me was it definitely was a big catalyst for going on to win The Open.
"I definitely felt more comfortable and I gained self-confidence from that win. There is no question the Irish Open is the fifth biggest tournament in the world to me."
Harrington is still looking for his first win of the year - but four other Irishmen have all tasted success.
Graeme McDowell got the ball rolling in Korea, then came Damien McGrane and Darren Clarke in China and Peter Lawrie in Spain. All play this week.
Subs secure victory
BJORN MISSES LIMERICK EVENT
MONTY BACK IN ACTION
DALY STILL HARBOURS MAJOR HOPES
