Where is the GOAT headed now? PGA Tour? PGA Tour Champions? Majors and senior majors? Many questions, and it’s complicated.
One can ask “Quo vadis, Tiger?” almost every year since 2009, when his off-course issues surfaced. Since 2014, after battling a debilitating back injury that sidelined his peak form, and since 2019, when he defied the skeptics with his fifth Masters victory and 15th major, proving that the GOAT should never be counted out.
Most notably, since the tragic car accident on February 23, 2021, that nearly cost him his right lower leg, casting doubt on his future in professional golf.
Quo vadis, Tiger: Eligibility for PGA Tour Champions and the challenges ahead
Eldrick Tont Woods is now 50 years old, making him eligible to compete on the PGA Tour Champions, where players over 50 can compete and use a golf cart without a special exemption. However, despite this eligibility, questions remain about his physical condition and the complexities this milestone brings.
The 82-time tour winner’s arrival would be a massive boost for the PGA Tour Champions, attracting fans and sponsors amid significant financial and organizational challenges, including cuts to the pension fund and lack of a TV partner, making Tiger’s participation crucial yet complicated.
Ready for Tiger, but complications abound
PGA Tour Champions President Miller Brady has assured that the tour is prepared for Tiger’s potential appearances, having arranged all the necessary logistics. Yet, significant challenges exist, from scheduling conflicts with regular PGA Tour events to the practicalities of Tiger’s health and his competitive priorities.
Tiger also recently signed an ambassador deal with Insperity, title sponsor of the PGA Tour Champions’ Insperity Invitational, which coincides with major PGA Tour events, creating potential scheduling dilemmas and media attention shifts.
Focus on senior majors and personal goals
Woods is expected to target select events, including senior majors like the US Senior Open, aiming to join an elite group with unique American golf records. However, senior majors are four-day, walking-only events, posing a challenge given Woods’ physical limitations and reluctance to seek medical exemptions.
Ultimately, Woods will only compete if confident in his ability to contend, a sentiment echoed by fellow professionals who believe if anyone can do it, Tiger can.