Golf is often criticized as a sport with little drama. But the unusual weekday final round Monday of the U.S. Open had all of the components for great sport and entertainment — even for non-golfers with a marginal interest in the game.

And if there were any remaining doubts, Tiger Woods’ status at the top of the sports world was confirmed with his sudden-death victory over Rocco Mediate.

There was Woods, often limping and grimacing and yet playing 91 holes of golf in five days a few weeks after knee surgery. And there was Mediate, 15 years Woods’ senior, hair thinning by the hole, a happy next-door-neighbor-kind-of-guy in the limelight week of his career.

Throw in the spot-on, often-biting NBC television analysis from Johnny Miller and it was a day that a boss might have understood if a few employees called in sick. In fact, the boss may have called the local delivery place for a pizza or two and joined the party.

But beyond the great competition, there’s a bigger issue. Woods’ steady march toward Jack Nicklaus’ record of victories in major championships brings more clearly into focus the golfer’s position as a sporting global ambassador.

Golf is in a unique position with its long history and reputation as a “gentleman’s game.” There are no high-speed crashes. There’s no blood or flagrant fouls. There’s little room for bravado after the execution of the precise, sweet skills involved getting the ball into the hole.

There’s plenty of room for debate whether Woods is yet the game’s greatest player, and it’s a healthy argument. But there’s little doubt Woods is more in the media spotlight than Nicklaus in several ways, not the least of which are the golfer’s mixed ethnicity and his cross-cultural popularity and the immediacy of his every move available on the Internet.

The concern is whether Woods fully understands his perch in sport and society. He’s now likely replaced both Michael Jordan and Muhammad Ali as the world’s most recognizable athlete, and with that comes the responsibility Woods doesn’t appear to have fully grasped.

Professional golf stands above other sports in the respectful nature of how its athletes treat each other and the game. Was there anyone more dignified and gracious in sport than Byron Nelson?

What message does Woods provide when he tosses or slams a club? Is the putting green the right location for dramatic pelvic thrusts and over-the-top fist pumps after a glorious putt?

And wouldn’t it have been better if Woods had taken the initiative and walked toward Mediate for what appeared to nothing less than a sincere embrace between the two players after the concluding hole? The winner needs to take the first step, not the runner-up.

Remember years ago when NBA many-time all-star forward Charles Barkley said in a Sports Illustrated article that he was not a role model? Barkley was sincere. He knew his place in the NBA and in life, and he realized his mistakes and that children would be better off not to emulate him.

Tiger Woods is a role model. He’s changed the scope of golf and of sport. He’s the athlete who can resurrect pro sports from is often unappealing win-at-any-cost mentality. It won’t take much.

Woods is a fierce competitor. If he can show the world a little extra sporting graciousness he can make all the difference.