But yesterday's performance in the media centre at the Hills was vintage Sir Bob; polite, entertaining, self-deprecating and ready with the one-liners.
Asked what his goals were for the week, given he was the undoubted (and unexpected) star of the 2007 event, he belted the question into oblivion with a trademark well-timed drive.
"I've never set a goal in my life.
''I've just come down here to play the game I love."
Thoughtful pause.
"It would be nice if I could have maybe one score at least around about my age, but my hands are white, I have absolutely no feeling in these conditions, so expectations are rather low."
Sir Bob, who turns 73 on Saturday, describes himself as a "fine-weather golfer" who suffers from poor circulation.
If the temperatures drop below 15degC then, he admits, he loses that all-important feel in his hands.
Someone offered the optimistic news that the weather forecast was much improved for the rest of the week, certainly well above the polar-like temperatures that turned the Hills into some sort of oversized blast freezer yesterday.
"Yeah, well, there's a lot of snow up there to get rid of," he replied, with more than just a tinge of regret in his voice.
Later he explained that it's not just the coldness in his hands that seems likely to dull his impact on the scoreboard.
He also has to wrap up with several layers of clothing - "Look at all this," he said, pointing to his attire, "I just have no flexibility, and at my age flexibility is everything."
One could not help but compare Sir Bob's rather sombre outlook with the zestful (but restrained) manner which marked his born-again youthfulness 16 months ago when he proved the main crowd puller, and pleaser.
Twice during the 2007 Open he beat his age (with rounds of 68 and 70) to finish an unlikely 23rd equal behind Englishman Richard Finch, superb form that got his pulses racing again, revved up the crowds, sold heaps of tickets and, ultimately, encouraged him to go back to the well one more time this week.
"The feeling I got from the general public was that they'd like to see me give it one more shot, " he said, estimating this was probably his 47th outing in the Open, although the records still need official scrutiny.
But there are two significant differences for Sir Bob on the eve of this championship compared with last time; (a) he's played no competitive golf at all in recent weeks and (b) the continuous wet weather has removed the crucial advantage of run on the fairways for his drives.
"I've had six or 10 rounds this year, although I do enjoy hitting balls.
''But finding the time to play a round of golf - what does it take, four and a-half hours? - I don't have that kind of time."
However, he has found the time to play one practice round at the Hills (plus yesterday's Pro-am), another at Jacks Point and nine holes at Millbrook since last Thursday, and what he found at the Hills were soft fairways, which will mean the course will play pretty long.
"Certainly, I will be out of my depth on the eighth and 18th holes, both of them being 500-yard par 4 holes.
''I need an awful lot of run to get up there in two.
''My 250-yard tee shots are not going to cut the mustard."
But while he conceded his local knowledge of the Hills layout would be of some advantage this week, his lack of distance off the tee remained a major problem.
"Everybody I play with these days hits it 50 yards past me, including a 15-year-old kid I played with at Clearwater a couple of weeks ago.
''Wow, this guy impressed me.
''All I know is he is Andrew [Namkoong] from St Andrews [College]."
Speaking of promising young local golfers, Sir Bob was asked about the latest form of Danny Lee and declared it "fantastic", but when told Lee was keen to catch up with him for a putting tip, Sir Bob replied: "Putting is . . . if he thinks he's not putting well, then he's not going to putt well . . . it's all in the mind.
''Putting is a mind game," he said, gesturing towards his head.
And, on that all-important score, Sir Bob, once described by Gary Player as one of the 10 great putters of all time, reports he has brought his ancient, trusty bull's-eye putter with him to the Hills this week.
"Better the devil you know," he laughed.
