Where is the GOAT headed next? PGA Tour, PGA Tour Champions, Majors or Senior Majors? Many questions, and it’s complicated.
Year after year since 2009, the question “Quo vadis, Tiger?” has been asked. From the extramarital scandals to his back troubles that sidelined him after a late-career peak in 2013, to his triumphant 15th major victory at the 2019 Masters proving the doubters wrong, Tiger Woods has remained a figure of intense speculation.
However, everything changed on February 23, 2021, when Woods survived a severe car accident in California that nearly cost him his right lower leg and foot, severely impacting his athletic career. Now at 50 years old, Eldrick Tont Woods is eligible to play on the PGA Tour Champions, where he can ride a cart on the fairways without special exemptions. But the situation is more complex than it seems.
Woods’ Eligibility for PGA Tour Champions and What It Means
Although Tiger is now formally eligible for the over-50 circuit and could bring a massive boost to the PGA Tour Champions as a crowd and sponsor magnet, financial cutbacks and commercial realities shadow the senior tour. The pension fund was cut by two million dollars unexpectedly, and the tour currently lacks a TV partner, shouldering hefty broadcasting costs themselves. The tour is now managed by former American football executive Brian Rolapp, who prioritizes commercial interests over nostalgia.
Despite these difficulties, Miller Brady, President of the PGA Tour Champions, assures that preparations are in place to welcome Woods, including security and facilities. Player Director Steve Flesch hopes Tiger would compete in a handful of events and wants early confirmation of his participation.
Woods’ Business Deals and Competition Schedule
Tiger recently joined Insperity, a digital HR services company sponsoring the Insperity Invitational, a senior event held in May in The Woodlands, Texas. This event overlaps with the PGA Tour’s Truist Championship in North Carolina, illustrating potential scheduling conflicts. Should Tiger participate in senior events, it could draw significant media attention away from regular PGA Tour events and even LIV Golf tournaments, which some see as a nightmare scenario for the tours.
Woods’ busy schedule as a PGA Tour advisor, businessman, charity advocate, and father might limit his competitive appearances. He is likely to focus on senior majors like the US Senior Open, where he could become the first golfer to win US Junior, US Amateur, US Open, and US Senior Open titles—potentially overtaking legendary Bobby Jones in American golf championships.
Challenges of Competing in Senior Majors at 50 Plus
The senior majors are four-day events that do not automatically provide golf carts. Woods would need to walk 72 holes, which is difficult due to his physical condition, or rely on accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Woods has historically resisted medical exemptions and will only compete if confident he can contend and win. As Justin Thomas said, “If anyone can do it, it’s Tiger.”