By Rob Hodgetts BBC Sport at Hoylake

Is Woods poised to start a new era of major domination?

Tiger Woods' procession to an 11th major title marks the beginning of phase four of his captivating career.

First there was the "phenom", the precocious young talent who burst onto the scene with a record 12-shot Masters victory at the unprecedented age of 21 in 1997.

After a pause, the American eased into his role as the pre-eminent player in the game by dominating world golf with seven more major wins in the next five years, including four in a row from the 2000 US Open to earn a "Tiger Slam".

Phase two was the much-publicised two-year "slump" from 2003 to 2004, a time he claims was spent rebuilding his swing for the future.

With the re-engineering complete, a new-look Woods emerged into the third stage to capture his fourth Masters title last year and backed it up with a second Open at St Andrews.

That made 10 majors before he was 30, three more than Jack Nicklaus at the same age, the man whose record of 18 major titles Woods is striving to break.

But life has a habit of turning sour now and again, and Woods' world was rocked when his father and mentor Earl died in May.

So the 2006 Open title represents the beginning of phase four - his first major after the age of 30 and the first tournament win of any kind following his father's death.

Woods is now tied with Walter Hagen on 11 major victories

"For it to be a major championship makes it that much more special," he said after his two-shot win at Hoylake on Sunday.

Nicklaus also lost his father when he was 30, by which time he also had four children.

But the Golden Bear's greatest glories were yet to come. Nicklaus, who also fathered a fifth child, won a further 11 majors in this period of his career, from 1970 to his sixth Masters win aged 46 in 1986.

Woods, who married Elin Nordegren in 2004, has yet to have children, and it remains to be seen whether a family will dim his desire to continue competing around the world.

But the victory at Hoylake heralds the latest evolution in Woods' absorbing march to greatness.

And if he wins the next eight majors in a row, Woods could retire after the Open at Royal Birkdale in 2008, his quest to beat Nicklaus over at 32. Maybe that will be the time to start a family.