Despite leaving the Open Championship early, American golfer Tiger Woods has promised to return for the major in 2025.
The 48-year-old golfer fell well short of the anticipated cut line for the top-70 players at 14 over par overall at Royal Troon in Scotland, where he shot a second round six over 77, improving on his opening 79. According to golf statistician Justin Ray, it ties the three-time Open champion’s highest-ever 36-hole score of his major career, recorded at the US Open in 2015 — the only other season he had missed three successive cuts at the sport’s four main tournaments.
Woods admitted: “Just was fighting it pretty much all day… I never really hit it close enough to make birdies and consequently made a lot of bogeys.”
With a final round score of par, Woods received a standing ovation from the crowd that gathered behind the ropes at Royal Troon to see him for the last time in this season. However, the 15-time major winner stated that this would not be his last Open.
Woods to be back for the next season
Due to his exceptional victories in 2000, 2005, and 2006, Woods is automatically eligible for the tournament. Woods announced that he will “definitely” return for the 153rd major, which will take place at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland, next year. This will be his 24th appearance at the event.
With this, Woods said: “I loved it. I’ve always loved playing major championships. I just wish I was more physically sharp coming into the majors…Obviously it tests you mentally, physically, emotionally, and I just wasn’t as sharp as I needed to be. I was hoping that I would find it somehow, just never did.”
This season is the first time Woods has participated in all four majors since his car accident in 2021. He had stated in February that he wanted to participate in one tournament every month, but he has only participated in five official events in 2024, despite feeling a lot better physically these past few months.