Tiger Woods hopes major championship season — beginning with the Masters — will ‘kick in' his goal to compete more regularly on the PGA Tour.
At the Hero World Challenge in December, Tiger — coming off season-ending ankle surgery — stated his intention to play about a “tournament a month” in 2024. However, a litany of physical issues has prevented him from carding more than 24 holes on the PGA Tour.
The Masters will be the second event of the year for the 48-year-old. In February, Tiger was forced to withdraw from his host tournament, the Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles, due to illness. He suffered back spasms during the first round.
Tiger, vice president of PGA Tour Enterprises — a newly formed entity tasked with commercializing the sport — was expected to compete in the 50th edition of the Players Championship, in mid-March. He never entered the field, nor gave a specific reason for his absence.
“I wasn't ready to play,” he said Tuesday about skipping the Florida Swing. “My body wasn't ready. My game wasn't ready,”
“I thought when I was at Hero, once a month would be a really nice rhythm. It hasn't worked out that way. But now we have major championships every month from here through July. Now that ‘once-a-month' hopefully kicks in.”
The PGA Championship begins on May 16 at Valhalla. The U.S. Open at Pinehurst starts June 13, and the Open Championship at Royal Troon tees off on July 20.
These days, Tiger said his training regimen changes on a “day-to-day basis”, based on how different parts of his body feel. The 15-time major champion says he used to “live on” the range and the short game facility, but now devotes more time to strengthening and recovery. Because of the lack of practice time, Tiger said he doesn't have the daily “ball count in me anymore.”
The 2023 Genesis was Tiger's last completed PGA Tour event. He withdrew from last year's Masters before the third round after a flare-up of plantar fasciitis. He underwent ankle fusion surgery a few weeks later.
“As far as my physicality on certain shots, every shot that's not on the tee box is a challenge,” he admitted Tuesday. (By contrast, Tiger said Augusta National was already “in perfect shape” but has “somehow gotten better.”)
As for why he still grinds to compete in the Masters?
“It's been a part of my life to have won here,” he said. “My first major as a pro. Hugging my dad. And then full circle, '19, to hug my son. It's meant a lot to my family. It means a lot to me. I always want to keep playing this.
“I love golf. I do. I've always loved it.”
On the fifth anniversary of his 2019 win — his 15th major title — Tiger will be vying to make his record 24th consecutive cut at The Masters.
“Consistency, longevity, and it's an understanding of how to play this golf course,” he said about what the streak represents.
Of course, this is Tiger Woods. He's always thinking about a sixth green jacket.
“If everything comes together, I think I can get one more.”
Tiger is tied with Sam Snead with 82 PGA Tour victories — the most all-time.
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