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Tiger Woods, Jay Monahan awarded crucial positions with newly created PGA Tour Enterprises

Tiger Woods and PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan will hold voting positions on the newly created PGA Tour Enterprises.

The tour announced Wednesday evening that a 13-member board of directors has been established for the new for-profit venture , formed in cojunction with the private-equity investment from the Strategic Sports Group. The Enterprises division will house the PGA Tour’s commercial businesses and rights, as well as those of the DP World Tour. This will allow the tour to maximize revenue for itself and players while keeping the tour’s non-profit 501(c)(6) classification that carries tax exemptions for “business leagues" intact. SSG has pledged up to $3 billion to PGA Tour Enterprises with an initial $1.5 billion investment.

RELATED: Questions and answers regarding the newly-created PGA Tour Enterprises

The tour will receive nine board seats, with SSG representatives filling out the other four positions. Six of the nine tour spots were given to the tour’s existing player directors in Woods, Patrick Cantlay, Peter Malnati, Adam Scott, Webb Simpson and Jordan Spieth. Former PGA Tour player Joe Ogilvie was named a “director liaison” and will join both the Enterprises board and the tour’s policy board. Monahan and policy board independent director Joe Gorder round out the tour’s final positions. The four SSG spots will be filled by John W. Henry (Fenway Sports Group), Arthur Blank (Atlanta Falcons), Andrew Cohen (New York Mets) and Sam Kennedy (Boston Red Sox).

While Monahan was already announced as PGA Tour Enterprises CEO, he will now have a vote on the tour’s policy board, solidifying his standing with the tour. Woods was announced as vice chairman of the board. His position was the result of a petition from tour players seeking new governance and transparency measures with the tour following the surprise framework agreement with the Public Investment Fund last summer.

“Today’s announcement is another milestone for our organization, as I believe we have arrived at a PGA Tour Enterprise’s board of directors with the right composition, expertise and balance necessary to take our organization into the future,” Monahan said in a statement. “Our current and former players will provide essential insight into our members’ priorities and needs. And we welcome key SSG members to the leadership team, whose exceptional track records and achievements in global professional sports will lend a wealth of knowledge into the opportunities ahead for the PGA Tour. Their expertise will undoubtedly play a pivotal role in the success and growth of our commercial initiatives.”

Left unsaid was what role, if any, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund will have in the new business. The tour announced in January that the deal with SSG will allow for co-investment from PIF in the future, but there are antitrust regulations that need to be hurdled, and Congress has announced that its investigation into PIF and its investments in American businesses will continue. Initially, the tour sought supplemental investment to appease government antitrust regulations rather than serving as an alternative to PIF, which is the financial backer to LIV Golf. However, talks have stalled between the PIF and tour, with PIF’s renewed recruiting of tour players—highlighted by the December defection of Jon Rahm to LIV—and the tour’s private-equity courtship leading to hurt feelings on both sides.

Monahan is expected to speak next week at the Players Championship, the tour’s flagship event.

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Tiger Woods returns with PGA Tour’s top players at Riviera

FILE - Tiger Woods watches his shot on the fourth tee during the third round of the Hero World Challenge PGA Tour at the Albany Golf Club, in New Providence, Bahamas, Saturday, Dec. 2, 2023. Tiger Woods confirmed Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024 he will make his first PGA Tour start since the Masters at the Genesis Invitational next week at Riviera, a tournament he hosts. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano, File)

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GENESIS INVITATIONAL

Site: Los Angeles.

Course: Riviera CC. Yardage: 7,322. Par: 71.

Prize money: $20 million. Winner’s share: $4 million.

Television: Thursday-Friday, 4-8 p.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday, 1-3 p.m. (Golf Channel), 3-7 p.m. (CBS); Sunday, 1-3 p.m. (Golf Channel), 3-6:30 p.m. (CBS).

Previous winner: Jon Rahm.

FedEx Cup leader: Matthieu Pavon.

Last week: Nick Taylor won the WM Phoenix Open.

Notes: Tiger Woods makes his first PGA Tour start since the Masters because of ankle surgery. This is a signature event with a limited field. Woods, the tournament host, is playing on a sponsor exemption. ... Woods has played Riviera 12 times as a pro without ever having won, the most he has played any course without winning. ... Because it’s one of three “player hosted” events, the winner gets $4 million instead of $3.6 million. The player-hosted signature events also have a cut to the top 50 and ties. ... This is the third time this year a PGA Tour event won’t have a defending champion because of Jon Rahm defecting to LIV Golf. ... FedEx Cup leader Matthieu Pavon and Justin Rose chose not to play. ... Sponsor exemptions went to Woods, Adam Scott, Will Zalatoris and Gary Woodland. ... Chase Johnson is playing on the Charlie Sifford exemption awarded to players promoting diversity in golf. ... Six of the last 10 winners at Riviera are now with LIV Golf. ... Riviera is hosting the U.S. Women’s Open in 2026 and the Olympics in 2028.

Next week: Mexico Open at Vidanta.

Online: https://www.pgatour.com/

PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS

CHUBB CLASSIC

Site: Naples, Florida.

Course: Tiburon GC. Yardage: 6,909. Par: 72.

Prize money: $1.8 million. Winner’s share: $270,000.

Television: Friday, noon to 3 p.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday-Sunday, 3-5:30 p.m. (Golf Channel).

Previous winner: Bernhard Langer.

Charles Schwab Cup leader: Steven Alker.

Last tournament: Steven Alker for the Mitsubishi Championship at Hualalai.

Notes: The PGA Tour Champions resumes after three weeks off but is missing its defending champion. Bernhard Langer had surgery on his Achilles tendon and likely will be out the bulk of the year. ... Notah Begay III received one of the two sponsor exemptions. ... Davis Love III will be making his Chubb Classic debut. ... Padraig Harrington is playing after spending two weeks on the European tour. He missed the cut in the Dubai Desert Classic and tied for 70th in the Ras Al Khaimah Championship. ... Langer has won the Chubb Classic five times. No one else has won it more than twice since the tournament began in 1988. ... Steve Stricker has twice been runner-up and won the Chubb Classic over the last six years. ... The tournament features four Hall of Fame members in Love, Ernie Els, Fred Couples and Colin Montgomerie. The list doesn’t include Harrington, who is to be inducted at Pinehurst this year during the U.S. Open.

Next week: Trophy Hassan II.

Online: https://www.pgatour.com/pgatour-champions

Last tournament: Nelly Korda won the Drive On Championship.

Next week: Honda LPGA Thailand.

Race to CME Globe leader: Lydia Ko.

Online: https://www.lpga.com/

LIV GOLF LEAGUE

Last week: Dustin Johnson won LIV Golf Las Vegas.

Next tournament: LIV Golf Jeddah on March 1-3.

Points leader: Dustin Johnson.

Online: https://www.livgolf.com/

EUROPEAN TOUR

Last week: Rikuya Hoshino won the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters.

Next week: Magical Kenya Open.

Race to Dubai leader: Rory McIlroy.

Online: https://www.europeantour.com/dpworld-tour/

KORN FERRY TOUR

Last week: Kevin Velo won the Astara Golf Championship.

Next tournament: Argentina Open on Feb. 29-March 3.

Points leader: Aldrich Potgieter.

Online: https://www.pgatour.com/korn-ferry-tour/

OTHER TOURS

Ladies European Tour: Aramco Saudi Ladies International, Riyadh GC, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Television: Thursday-Friday, 5-9 a.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday, 5:30-9:30 a.m. (Golf Channel); Sunday, 4:30-8:30 a.m. (Golf Channel). Defending champion: Lydia Ko. Online: https://ladieseuropeantour.com/

Asian Tour: IRS Prima Malaysian Open, The Mines Resort & GC, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Defending champion: Trevor Simsby. Online: https://asiantour.com/

Sunshine Tour and Challenge Tour: Dimension Data Pro-Am, Fancourt Golf Estate, George, South Africa. Defending champion: Oliver Bekker. Online: https://sunshinetour.com/ and https://www.europeantour.com/challenge-tour/

PGA Tour of Australasia: Webex Players Series Hunter Valley, Oaks Cypress Lakes Resort, Pokolbin, Australia. Defending champion: Brett Coletta. Online: https://pga.org.au/

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

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Jack nicklaus knows what tiger woods is going through, because age always wins, share this article.

Jack Nicklaus chooses words carefully when speaking about Tiger Woods. When you’re No. 1 in majors won, like the Golden Bear, it’s a bad look, especially in a gentleman’s game, to even hint that No. 2 is anything but amazing.

So you talk up Tiger, even when he’s down. And he is down. At age 48 and worn through by injury, Woods no longer is a threat to win every tournament he enters. Or any tournament, period. At the Masters in April, he finished last among players who made the cut and looked old doing it.

Nicklaus knows the feeling. He turned 84 in January, but realized nearly 25 years ago that his days of contending in professional tournaments were over.

The Upper Arlington, Ohio, native, who famously won the 1986 Masters at age 46 to become the oldest winner of the green jacket, a title he still holds, was paired with Woods at the 2000 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky, which again hosts the major May 16-19. Jack was 60. Tiger 23.

Two days of watching Woods play a major championship he eventually won told Nicklaus everything he needed to know.

“When you can’t compete.” Nicklaus said, explaining when he knew it was time to stick to recreational golf. “I knew that I was getting to where I couldn’t compete (and) it was brought to me very abruptly, in 2000 at Valhalla when I played with Tiger. I got done with those two rounds and, ‘Man, you need to pass the baton. You can’t compete in this anymore.’ I had realized that before, but that was boom, right in the face. Thirty-six holes of playing with him and seeing how well he played, how he just dominated what was going on, I did that earlier. But I don’t do it now.”

Father Time remains undefeated

Aging always wins. Bodies break down. Hand-eye coordination deteriorates. But it’s not just about reflexes. Willingness to take risks on the golf course wanes. A 23-year-old slams a putt 7 feet past the cup and thinks no big deal. Just make the next one. A 45-year-old facing the same situation gulps.

Then there are the rigors of life that take their toll, even for millionaires who toil by hitting a little white ball. Family responsibilities increase. The passion for playing your sport 24/7 peters out.

It can be hard to stomach. It definitely is hard to watch, to be standing outside the ropes as legends slip into limping versions of their former selves. Jack has been there a while. Tiger is edging near the cliff.

Fans too young to remember Woods in his prime see the current version and shrug, the way I did when Arnold Palmer stopped winning tournaments in the 1970s. Arnie became an ambassador, which is another way of saying his game went to seed. Ditto for those who marveled at the power of Nicklaus, fluid swing of Bobby Jones or precision of Harry Vardon.

Watching Woods wobble his way along the sloped terrain at Augusta National, hobbled by multiple injuries and accidents, including a single-car crash that nearly cost him his right leg in 2021, was another reminder that greatness lasts only on video replay. Woods’ lower right leg, held together by stainless steel hardware, precludes him from entering tournaments that test his balance by requiring him to walk 8 miles of tees, fairways and greens. It’s one of the reasons it remains doubtful he will play the Memorial Tournament June 6-9 at Muirfield Village, where the rolling topography tests stamina and leg strength.

Is Tiger Woods on his last leg(s)?

“Tiger has the ability to still play, but obviously doesn’t play as well as he did, and I think a lot of his is physical ailments,” Nicklaus said. “But I watched him hit balls, and he hits the ball pretty well. It’s just trying to keep his body together.

“I don’t know if he can walk 72 holes. He can be competitive for at least two rounds, because that’s what he did at Augusta. … If he can be competitive in the third, then certainly he can be competitive in the fourth.”

That is one former great sticking up for another, as well as No. 1 being gracious toward No. 2.

At the height of their powers, the Bear and Tiger were beasts. Nicklaus struck such fear in many of his competitors that seeing his name appear on the tournament scoreboard was worth a stroke or two in his favor. He has 18 wins and 19 runners-up finishes in majors; imagine if he had turned even half of those seconds into firsts.

Woods was otherworldly. His torrid run from 2000-2001 is the greatest stretch of golf ever played. His 82 career PGA Tour wins ties Sam Snead atop the list of all-time greats. His 15 majors place him second behind Nicklaus. I like to say Tiger is the best to ever pick up a golf club; Nicklaus is the game’s greatest champion.

“Life passes on and you get old and can’t do the things you used to do,” Nicklaus said, reflecting on what was and is. “I just think golf is an amazing sport, and we have the ability to play and compete as long as we do. And find lightning in a bottle occasionally, like I did in ’86.”

And like Woods did in 2019.

Even if the body is weak, the mind remains willing. Woods refuses to fully accept his lot in golfing life, that he has become a long shot where once he was a sure shot.

And the competitive fire still burns in the Golden Bear, who this week made sure to mention that he could have made the cut at the 2005 British Open, at age 65, “but I just couldn’t make any putts the second round.”

Yes, the will to win remains strong.

I asked Jack, an avid fisherman, how much he wants to catch bigger fish than his buddies when out on the ocean. His list of fishing buddies, he pointed out, now includes Barbara, his wife. What she manages to reel in really gets his competitive juices flowing.

Jack and Barbara Nicklaus joke around while taking photos following Wednesday’s Memorial Tournament Legends Luncheon at the Ohio Union.

“She’s the one who catches all the big fish,” he said.

She landed a whopper almost 65 years ago. His name is Jack William Nicklaus. And over 18 holes, the Olden Bear can still beat golfers half his age.

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Tiger Woods staying patient with his return to golf

Friday’s pro-am round was an opportunity for Woods to return to some level of normalcy

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Team Woods Highlights from the 2021 PNC Championship pro-am

ORLANDO, Fla. – Yes, Tiger Woods currently has limitations in his post-crash golf game, but here’s the twist: Ten months after he rolled an SUV down an embankment in Los Angeles and sustained devastating leg injuries that required multiple surgeries, he is fine with where he is. Patient, even.

For Woods, who alongside Jack Nicklaus is the best to ever play this game, Friday’s return to golf at the PNC Championship pro-am at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club had a singular purpose, which was to join his 12-year-old son, Charlie, take a few swings, work on the short game a bit (he exhibited nice touch around the greens), and simply have fun. It had been a long, tough year.

“It was an awesome day,” Woods said after his round was done. It marked his first round in an event since he played with Charlie in last year’s PNC. “It was just awesome to be back out here playing and being out there with my son, and we just had an absolute blast.”

Friday’s pro-am round was an opportunity for Woods to return to some level of normalcy, climbing back inside the ropes to play a game he has known for about 44 of his almost 46 years. (Woods turns 46 Dec. 30.)

He warmed up just a few spots down from Lee Trevino and Vijay Singh. Bubba Watson stopped by and gave him a hug. (“Good to see you,” Woods told him.) There were familiar scenes. He wrapped white tape around his finger, and there were no shortage of mini-reunions, with people inside golf’s moving circus genuinely glad to see him back. Woods said he felt nerves standing on the first tee (he didn’t hit a great tee shot), but soon he and Charlie each stuffed nice short iron shots into the green at the par-4 opener. When Tiger rolled in the 18-foot birdie putt, a 60-ish father turned to his grown son along the ropes and said, “Expect anything less?”

Woods has been the rare athlete who shoulders massive expectations and exceeds them. This go-around, as he readies to turn 46, we should expect less. That is just part of the new deal. Woods moved gingerly during points of his round, and after a few holes of his second nine, he appeared to be gassed. He said this was probably only his second or third round back after his Feb. 23 crash. As he builds himself back, he acknowledges his endurance is lacking. The last full swing he took in the scramble format was a 3-wood at the par-5 14th hole. He only chipped and putted. But physically, he passed his first test.

“It's going to be awhile,” Woods said. “I couldn't walk this golf course even right now, and it's flat. I don't have the endurance. My leg is not quite right yet and it's going to take time. I told you in the Bahamas (at the Hero World Challenge), I'm a long way from playing tournament golf. This is hit, hop in a cart and move about my business just like I would at Medalist (his home club).

“Being able to play tournament golf and being able to recover, practice and train and hit balls after a round and do all of the things that I need to be at a high level, I'm a long way away from that.”

All well and good. Here’s the point: Golf can, and will, wait for him. On Friday, it simply was time to exhale and look to the skies and be thankful Tiger Woods (a) is alive and (b) is back playing golf once again. Saturday, Tiger and Charlie will join Justin and Mike Thomas in the PNC’s opening round, teeing off at 12:18 p.m. Tiger said Friday Justin is like the big brother that Charlie never had. For Justin, Tiger has been the big brother that he never had. It’s a terrific dynamic. Friday, a limited crowd at Ritz-Carlton (an estimated 3,000 spectators) got to join in. Young and old delighted in Woods’ return, even if he didn’t hit all the shots. Given how far he had to come and how hard he had fought to get here, being back meant something.

“Being able to be in position to compete this week is remarkable,” said NBC’s Notah Begay, Woods’ former Stanford teammate and longtime resident in his inner circle. “He’s moving well, he feels good. There’s no endurance. It’s almost as if he’s on a pitch count. He’s got only so many full swings in him each day, and he knows that.

“But it’s good for him to be in a place where he’s OK with that. I know that’s come from a lot of maturity and coming to terms with the reality of an accident that could have been catastrophic, and being in a good place with it. I think he has really matured through this whole thing, and you see it out there. He’s really having a great time.”

Former PGA TOUR Champions winner Jim Thorpe, 72, was in the crowd on Friday, as well. When he is home, he’ll flip on old golf highlights on the television. When his young granddaughter and grandson see Woods on the screen, they react differently.

“I’m so happy to see him back,” Thorpe said. “I think a lot of us who played the game understand that he will never be the old Tiger. ... Being here to play with his son, the reception that he got from the people, golf needs him. Golf wants him back. Don’t get me wrong, there’s a lot of magnificent players out there. But there is only one Tiger.”

Charlie, at 12, once again was a standout. He has gained length in a year, hit lots of good approach shots, and led his scramble team by putting first and showing the way. He poured in a birdie putt from above the hole at 18, and his father smiled again, bumping fists with him. Tiger said they don’t want their good friends Justin and Mike Thomas to repeat as the winners of the Willie Park belt this year, but the reality is, they are happy to be here. For Team Woods, it’s going to be a memorable weekend.

Even before his SUV crash, Woods had endured 10 surgeries – five on his back, five on his knee – and somehow, he finds a way to climb back and keep punching. This comeback is different from the rest. Woods admits his right leg “was pretty messed up.” But every time he falls, he finds a way to stand back up.

“I think he has alien DNA,” Begay said of his longtime friend. “His ability to repair not only physically, but mentally and emotionally, is second to none. I don’t think we’ve really seen anything like it in sports.”

Report: Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy among big PGA Tour payouts

Rory McIlroy explains why the PGA Tour's equity figures are insufficient to compete with LIV Golf's payouts. (0:19)

• ESPN News Services

Tiger Woods , Rory McIlroy and other PGA Tour stars are about to receive massive bonuses for their loyalty.

The Telegraph reported Wednesday that Woods will receive up to $100 million in equity as part of the newly created for-profit PGA Tour Enterprises, with McIlroy getting about half that amount.

The payouts, which are set to be disclosed to the players by PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan on Wednesday, are a way to thank players for sticking with the PGA Tour instead of jumping to the rival LIV Golf League and huge paydays from Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund.

Nearly 200 players will receive a stake, with $750 million of it going to the top 36 players based on a formula that weighs career success and cultural popularity, according to The Telegraph. Other notable payouts include $30 million each for Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas , while $75 million is targeted to go to notable retired players.

To receive the money, players would have to continue to remain loyal to the PGA Tour, with the funds vesting over the next eight years, according to The Telegraph. And going forward, the PGA Tour plans to award $100 million per year to the players.

McIlroy, playing this week in the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, was asked Wednesday how much would make players feel validated for their decision to stay with the PGA Tour.

"I think the one thing we've learned in golf over the last two years is there's never enough," said McIlroy, who also said that he's interested in returning to the PGA Tour's policy board, as has been reported and is pending a board vote that could take place this week.

"At the end of the day, it's not quite up to me to just come back on the board," McIlroy said. "There's a process that has to be followed."

The other board members are Patrick Cantlay , Peter Malnati , Adam Scott , Spieth and Woods.

PGA Tour Enterprises received an investment of up to $3 billion earlier this year from Strategic Sports Group, a consortium of sports team owners that includes the New York Mets ' Steve Cohen and the Atlanta Falcons ' Arthur Blank.

A week later, Monahan outlined the first-of-its-kind equity ownership program in a Feb. 7 memo to players.

Any deal with PIF would most certainly increase the value of the equity shares.

A source with knowledge of the Player Equity Program told The Associated Press that the equity money is not part of the SSG investment. That money was geared toward growth capital.

Golf.com, which received a series of informational videos on the Player Equity Program that was sent to players, reported only 50% of the equity would vest after four years, 25% more after six years and the rest of it after eight years.

The 36 players from the top tier were judged on "career points," such as how long they were full members, victories, how often they reached the Tour Championship and extra points for significant victories, Golf.com reported.

"It's really about making sure that our players know the PGA Tour is the best place to compete and showing them how much the Tour appreciates them being loyal," Jason Gore, the tour's chief player officer, said in one of the videos obtained by Golf.com.

Emails also were sent to 64 players who would share $75 million in aggregate equity based on the past three years, and $30 million to 57 players who are PGA Tour members. Also, $75 million in equity shares was set aside for 36 past players instrumental in building the tour.

The program has an additional $600 million in equity grants that are recurring for future PGA Tour players. Those would be awarded in amounts of $100 million annually started in 2025.

Players only get equity shares from one of the four tiers now, although everyone would be eligible for the recurring grants.

Even with equity ownership geared toward making the PGA Tour better, the concern was players questioning who got how much and whether they received their fair share.

The PGA Tour and LIV are in merger talks, but they have been protracted, with no clear end in sight. Both tours have continued to operate independently, keeping many of the top names in golf from competing against one another for most of the golf calendar -- major tournaments (Masters, US Open, British Open and PGA Championship) excepted

"I think I could be helpful to the process," McIlroy said of a formalized unification of the PGA Tour and LIV Golf. "But only if people want me involved."

He said he aims to promote compromise while also trying "to help people see the benefits of what unification could do for the game and what it could do for this tour in particular."

"We obviously realize the game is not unified right now for a reason, and there's still some hard feelings and things that need to be addressed," McIlroy said. "But I think at this point, for the good of the game, we all need to put those feelings aside and all move forward together."

The Associated Press and Field Level Media contributed to this report.

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Tiger Woods will play U.S. Open 2024: 15-time major winner accepts USGA exemption to join Pinehurst field

Woods has plans to play all four major championships this season.

Tiger Woods will play the 2024 U.S. Open at Pinehurst after receiving a special exemption from the USGA to join the field. Woods was not originally eligible for the event after his five-year exemption for winning the 2019 Masters ran out, but the USGA's decision is not without precedent as golfers -- both legends and otherwise -- have also received exemptions into the U.S. Open.

"The U.S. Open, our national championship, is a truly special event for our game and one that has helped define my career," Woods said in a statement. "I'm honored to receive this exemption and could not be more excited for the opportunity to compete in this year's U.S. Open, especially at Pinehurst, a venue that means so much to the game."

Woods has said repeatedly that he wants to play once a month in 2024, a plan he repeated this week during an appearance on "Today." He made his record 24th consecutive cut at the Masters in April, and he is on schedule to tee it up in the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla (where he won in 2000).

Tiger has lifetime exemptions to play the Masters and PGA Championship, and he is eligible to play The Open Championship until he turns 60 years old. The 2024 U.S. Open is the first time he did not qualify for a major since turning professional.

Woods is a three-time winner at the U.S. Open, bringing home the championship trophy in 2000, 2002 and 2008. However, Tiger has never won the event at Pinehurst, where he will tee it up alongside the best in the world this June.

"The story of the U.S. Open could not be written without Tiger Woods," USGA chief championships officer John Bodenhamer said. "From his 15-stroke victory at Pebble Beach in 2000 to his inspiring win on a broken leg at Torrey Pines in 2008, this championship is simply better when Tiger is in the field, and his accomplishments in the game undoubtedly made this an easy decision for our special exemption committee."

Nearly three dozen players have received special passes to play in U.S. Opens, including Jack Nicklaus (eight times), Arnold Palmer (five), Tom Watson (five), Hale Irwin (three), Seve Ballesteros (two) and Gary Player (two). 

It should be expected that Tiger will continue receiving USGA exemptions over the next several years should he not qualify otherwise for future U.S. Opens.

Woods finished 60th at the Masters in April. He has not played a U.S. Open since the 2020 edition at Winged Foot.

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Tiger Woods: When will he play next after encouraging PGA Tour comeback at Genesis Invitational?

Tiger Woods carded a final-round 73 to finish tied-45th in PGA Tour comeback; 15-time major champion was making his first official appearance since The Open in July; Woods expected to feature at The Masters from April 6-9

Monday 20 February 2023 06:45, UK

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Tiger Woods admits he is unsure whether he will play competitively again before The Masters after making an encouraging return to PGA Tour action at the Genesis Invitational.

Woods marked his first competitive start since The Open last July - and first PGA Tour appearance outside of a major since the Zozo Championship in October 2020 - with a final-round 73 at Riviera Country Club.

The 15-time major champion has regularly stated he would be unable to commit to a full playing schedule, following career-threatening injuries sustained in a car crash in February 2021, although Woods remains hopeful of competing in all four majors

• Genesis Invitational: Final leaderboard
• Tiger Woods' final round - as it happened

"Well, I am sure you will see me in some place," Woods told CBS . "Competitively, I don't know.

"My goal each and every year from here going forward is to play in all the majors - I am not going to play too much more than that. My body and my leg and my back just won't allow me to play much more than that anymore.

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"So that was my goal last year and I was able to play three of the four and this year, I can hopefully play all four. That is going to be my schedule going forward because of all of the limitations I have."

Woods birdied his opening hole but made three bogeys in a five-hole stretch from the sixth, then mixed two birdies with as many bogeys on the back nine to end under par for the tournament.

Genesis Invitational: Final scores

Riviera final round as it happened

"My game is fine," Woods said after his final round. "Yeah, it is rusty. I made some silly mistakes here and there and I didn't quite pick up the speed of the greens each and every day fast enough, like I normally would if I was playing.

"But overall, I feel like I hit the ball like I have been hitting it at home. I just had to bring it out here where I had to walk from point A to point B and that was always the difficulty of it.

"I am just so thankful for all my team for getting me ready each and every night, morning, to at least give myself a chance to go out there and play. I was able to do it."

The story of Tiger's Sunday

Woods recovered from missing the opening fairway to roll in a 15-foot birdie at the par-five first and holed from 12 feet at the third to save par, having found the greenside bunker with his approach.

The former world No 1 got up and down from the back off the fourth green to continue his bogey-free start but missed from four feet to save par at the next, with Woods then failing to convert an eight-foot birdie chance after a brilliant tee shot at the par-three sixth.

Woods found fairway bunkers off the tee at both the eighth and ninth, leaving him unable to get up and down on both occasions and seeing him close a front-nine 37 with successive bogeys, then failed to take advantage of the par-five 11th after two-putting from eight feet.

The 47-year-old responded to a poor pitch from the rough and dropped shot at the 12th by holing a long-range birdie at the par-four next to get back under par for the tournament, only to card a three-putt bogey at the 15th to slip back level-par for the tournament.

A brilliant tee shot at the par-three 16th set up a third birdie of the day for Woods, who failed to add to his tally at the par-five next and then signed off an encouraging week with a two-putt par at the last.

When could Woods return?

Woods could consider the Arnold Palmer Invitational from March 2-5 his next competitive start, an event he has won a record eight times at Bay Hill, although that would leave limited recovery time from this week's appearance in California.

The Players at TPC Sawgrass would be another option a week later, with this year's event marking the 10th anniversary of Woods' second victory at the PGA Tour's flagship event.

Should Woods decide against competing in either of the two Florida-based events, then it would be unlikely we would see him back in action before the opening men's major of the year at Augusta National.

Woods finished 47th at The Masters last year and will be hoping to improve on that performance from April 6-9, live on Sky Sports, four years on from winning the Green Jacket for a fifth time.

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Gary Player: ‘Tiger Woods’ PGA Tour career completely ruined’ amid “wrong decision”

Player dropped a bomb regarding Tiger Woods’ career and how changes prevented him from winning more majors on the PGA Tour.

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Gary Player joined the German KW Golf YouTube channel to discuss various topics, including his health, fantastic golf courses, exercise, golf coaches and the difference between pros and amateurs.

But most interestingly, he voiced his opinion on Tiger Woods' career and how the Big Cat’s choices saw him underachieve, relatively speaking of course.

Starting at 8:45 in the video, Player dropped the microphone.

“Tiger Woods had his career ruined, completely ruined,” Player said. “He won the 14th major at the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach. He won by 14 shots. The next week, he’s having a lesson from a man who, I don’t know if he played in the Masters, couldn’t break 80, but he’s having a lesson from this guy.”

He did not stop there. The 88-year-old explained how Woods continued to make what he deemed poor decisions.

“Then he goes to another guy who couldn’t break probably 85 in the Masters, with the pressure or the British Open or the PGA on the final day, and he’s having lessons from them,” he said. “Why did Tiger do that? He was so good, but I understand he wanted to get better. If he went along and never changed, he would have won a minimum of 22, maybe more.”

“He would have gone down as the greatest athlete the world has ever seen, man or woman on the planet, but he made the wrong decision,” Player said.

Player goes on to state there are at least 20 players that have screwed up their game because of their swing coach choices. He named Trevor Immelman, Mike Weir, Michael Cameron and Woods as a few examples.

Tiger won his 15th major in 2019 at the Masters, taking home the green jacket for a fifth time. After that, the horrific 2021 car crash set him back.

“Unfortunately, he’s hurt his leg so badly. Whether he’ll win another tournament or not is debatable,” Player noted.

The 24-time PGA Tour winner explained how he will always root for Tiger because of how he changed golf.

Player did not drop any swing coaches’ names, but those who have followed Tiger’s career likely know who he is hinting at ruining the 82-time winner’s career. Regardless, he voiced a strong opinion that will certainly create some discourse.

Did Woods ruin his career by changing his swing so many times, or were injuries and other elements causing him to underachieve as a golfer? Sound off in the comments, and let us know what you think.

Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, be sure to follow us @_PlayingThrough on all major social platforms. You can also follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.

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Tiger Woods provides health update, progress for his PGA Tour return

Tiger Woods made it clear Wednesday: he still has "a long way to go" before returning to the PGA Tour.

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PACIFIC PALISADES, Calif. — Sorry, Tiger Woods fans. The 15-time major-winner is not coming back to play the PGA Tour in the immediate future. 

“I wish I could tell you when I’m playing again,” Woods told reporters Wednesday at the event he hosts, the Genesis Invitational. “I want to know, but I don’t. My golf activity has been very limited. I can chip and putt really well and hit short irons very well, but I haven’t done any long stuff seriously. I’m still working. Like at the PNC, I’m still working on the walking part.”

The PNC — that is, the PNC Championship , at which Woods and his son, Charlie, threw a jolt into the golf world in mid-December — was the last time we saw or heard from Woods. Despite Team Woods making a run for the title that week, and some pros being impressed with Tiger’s progress, Woods said then that he was not close to a PGA Tour return. He was quick to remind everyone he spent the week largely riding around in a cart.

On Wednesday, the message was largely more of the same.

Tiger Woods is back this week, but that doesn’t mean what it once did

Woods walked into the press room at Riviera wearing a big smile, like he has done hundreds of times in his career. He sat up on stage next to Aaron Beverly, this week’s Charlie Sifford Memorial exemption . This year marks what would have been Sifford’s 100th birthday, and Woods beamed when sharing details of how Sifford impacted his life and career. But after 35 minutes up on stage, Woods exited more gingerly than he entered. As he has said, sitting in an upright chair for a long period doesn’t always feel great. And in addition to his lower body injuries, he admitted his nagging back issues still persist. Woods, who is 46, is happy to play host this week, but he’s also unhappy with how slow the process has been. 

So, what does that all mean for his public golf life moving forward? 

Woods said there’s progress in his overall strength, compared to late 2021, and his ability to practice more short game shots has increased. But to plan a return event, he’ll need to be able to play about six rounds of golf in seven days. That implies hundreds of shots, sure, but more than anything it also means a lot of walking. 

“I can walk on a treadmill all day, that’s easy,” he said. “That’s just straight, there’s no bumps in the road. But walking on a golf course where there’s undulations, I have a long way to go.”

Woods repeated those last five words twice more throughout his presser. A long way to go . Disappointing as it may be for fans, it was an important reminder that what many people saw through their TV screens two months ago had plenty of context layered within. What Woods did in Orlando during the PNC was hit a lot of smooth shots, plenty of short shots and play just a few rounds where the longest walk, by his estimate, was between the green and the cart path. That’s not many steps when added up.

Could Woods play (and walk) the Par-3 Contest at the Masters in seven weeks, he was asked Wednesday.

“I can walk that now,” Woods said. But he wouldn’t commit to doing so. Woods is not a man who likes to make unplanned commitments during press conferences. He remains defiant as ever, confident in his comeback — which will never again be a full-time schedule — and feeling fortunate, nearly a year after his horrific accident, to be where he is: hosting a PGA Tour event, sending tons of emails, attending meetings he would have skipped as a player. 

“’I’m very lucky, very lucky,” he said. “As a lot of you guys know, I didn’t know if I was going to have the right leg or not. So to be able to have my right leg still here, it’s huge. I still have a lot of issues with it, but it’s mine and I’m very thankful for that.”

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Zak is a writer at GOLF Magazine and just finished a book about the summer he spent in St. Andrews .

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