Former World No. 1 Ernie Els has thrown down the gauntlet to Tiger Woods, declaring “beat us again… if you can” as the golf legend approaches eligibility for the PGA Tour Champions.
Woods, 49, will become eligible for the senior circuit when he turns 50 on Dec. 30, with the tour exclusively for golfers aged 50 and above. The 15-time major champion previously suggested he might transition to the senior tour following his missed cut at last year’s U.S. Open.
Since that disappointing performance, Woods hasn’t teed up in a single PGA Tour event. Back surgery in September sidelined him for the latter half of last season, while a torn Achilles in March completely derailed any comeback plans for 2025.
This has limited Woods to merely 13 tournament appearances over the past five years, none resulting in a top 25 finish. The struggles include missing the cut in four of his last six major championship outings, compounding his ongoing frustrations.
Nevertheless, reaching the half-century mark could signal a fresh start for Woods on the Champions Tour. With his ambition to compete in all major championships plus one or two additional events annually, transitioning to the 54-hole format could prove advantageous going forward.
Should Woods choose this path, Els would embrace his arrival enthusiastically, though the South African has already delivered his warning shot. “Beat us again … if you can,” Els declared to Golf Week.
When questioned about whether he thinks Woods will join the over-50s circuit, he continued: “I hope so. I’ve said, please come play. And I think it can only be beneficial to him.
“He will get himself in golf shape. You can ride a cart without any shame and if there was one guy that should be able to drive a cart, it’s him. And he can get his a** back in shape.”
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Speaking last year, fellow golfer Padraig Harrington suggested that Woods might target a historic Grand Slam of U.S. Open victories by entering the PGA Tour Champions.
No golfer has ever secured the U.S. Junior Amateur, U.S. Amateur, U.S. Open, and U.S. Senior Open during their career, and if Woods were to chase this distinctive Grand Slam, he would become the most decorated USGA Champion in history.
“He’d love to win that Grand Slam and get some of the other senior majors on his CV,” Seniors star Harrington told Golfweek in 2024.
“I saw him at 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.
“Taking a cart changes everything for him,” 2006 U.S. Open champion Geoff Ogilvy added at the time. “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?”.
