Tiger Woods’ future could be away from PGA Tour after £600million LIV Golf offer (Image: Getty)
Tiger Woods could say goodbye to the PGA Tour in the very near future. With his body battered and having a limited number of swings left, the 15-time major winner’s interest in senior golf may see him take on the 50+ only circuit.
Woods has always maintained his allegiance to the PGA Tour when others have wavered. He reportedly turned down a gargantuan sum in the region of £572-654million to join the Saudi-backed LIV Golf Invitational series two years ago.
His said at the time that he “disgrees” with LIV, slamming those who had defected for “turning their back on what has allowed them to get to this position”, though he was recently involved in discussions to merge the PGA and Saudi circuit. Woods’ importance to the PGA Tour can be summed up by the £30m in bonuses alone he has received over the past three years.
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But it is half a decade since Woods last won a tournament, and there’s only so much more of the gruelling tour, coming up against players half his age, that he can feasibly take. He turns 50 in December this year, making him eligible for the PGA Tour Champions which is open only to senior players. At this point, it would be a natural next step for the legend, who has done everything possible to be able to compete with the very best for over three decades.
Woods returned for the Hero World Challenge in December after recovering from a gruelling ankle injury, finishing 18th. He has struggled to simply walk 72 holes at PGA Tour events in recent years, his biggest hindrance, which would be massively aided by the option of using a cart in the Champions Tour.
And many have already tipped him to dominate the seniors, including Jack Nicklaus. “He’ll absolutely kill everybody,” Nicklaus said during the Masters in April in an interview with Golf Channel.”
Tiger Woods’ last Major win came in 2019 with the Masters (Image: Getty)
Geoff Ogilvy, who turned 47 on June 11, is counting the days until he too will be eligible. He predicts Tiger to play and spark a resurgence in the Champions Tour, saying: “Taking a cart changes everything for him. Interest both from fans and sponsors is going to be through the roof. I think there’s a good chance that Champions Tour ratings can top the PGA Tour when he decides to play. And what else is he going to?”
PGA Tour Champions President Miller Brady has already laid the groundwork for Woods’ debut on the men’s professional senior golf tour. Brady two years ago said he would lower the entry age for the senior circuit “tomorrow” if it meant Woods taking part – which Woods refused as he didn’t want a head start to chase the likes of Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Bernhard Langer’s records.
Brady believes, should Tiger take that route, the Mitsubishi Electric Championship in January 2026 would be an “ideal” debut event for the 15-time major champion.
Tiger Woods’ body is struggling to deal with the demands of the PGA Tour (Image: Getty)
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He said via Golfweek: “I just want Tiger to come out here and play a little bit. In an ideal situation, Tiger turns 50 and the Mitsubishi Electric (in January 2026) is his first start. Maybe you pair him with Fred Couples and they have a great time.”
The golf world will no doubt eagerly anticipate his arrival. And Woods himself has already made his desire to dominate the senior circuit clear. “He’d love to win that Grand Slam and get some of the other senior majors on his CV,” Padraig Harrington said.
“I saw him at the course (during the PNC Championship) and we were just crossing paths and he laughed at me. I won’t say exactly what he said but the gist of it was he can’t wait to get out and beat me.”
Asked at the Hero World Challenge back in 2021 if he looked forward to his upcoming 46th birthday, Woods smiled and said: “Four more years until I get a cart.”