Tiger Woods redefined the boundaries of this game, he inspired a generation and might very well be the greatest player in history, but the question of his future provokes as much intrigue as reflecting on his glorious past.
Injuries and associated surgeries have taken their toll, rivalling his major championship titles in number, with many now left wondering if, not even when, we will see the most dominant of former world number ones make a return to the sport that he changed forever.
Woods hasn’t participated in a proper tournament since The 152nd Open at Royal Troon in July 2024, with his appearances earlier this year in TGL, the indoor golf league that he helped to create, being the last time we saw him swing a club.
Since then, the unexpected death of his mother, Kultida, preceded a latest surgery, this time on a ruptured Achilles tendon in March, which instantly ruled him out of the Masters and any other likely starts in 2025.
In December, Woods turns 50, a milestone for anyone, but especially for a golfer as he becomes eligible to compete on the PGA Tour Champions.
Focus has rightly been placed on the exploits of Scottie Scheffler, whose record has been reminiscent of Woods in his prime, and the monumental accomplishment of Rory McIlroy completing the career grand slam at Augusta National in April.
But this is Tiger Woods, a sporting icon, a golfing legend, someone whose shadow continues to hang over the game. But where and in what capacity shall he reemerge next?
Will Tiger Woods Play in The Majors in 2026?
Woods’ career has been defined by the majors, his pursuit of records, the manner in which he ran away with the biggest trophies in the sport for years until spending over a decade waiting for another, a journey through scandal and disgrace, before unforgettably winning a sixth Green Jacket in 2019.
Physical limitations following his major car accident in 2021 left Woods having to schedule sporadic appearances on tour, with the majors being the understandable priority. Last year, before his latest injury setback, he only played in the four majors, making the cut in just one, and withdrew from the Genesis Invitational that he hosts.
Woods also takes that responsibility on for the Hero World Challenge each December in the Bahamas, which has previously been the site of a Tiger comeback or two. There is no indication as to whether that could once again be the moment where he returns from hibernation, or whether it will be in 2026, or even at all.
Looking further ahead, 2027 is a significant year for Tiger Woods scholars. It will be the 30th anniversary of his breakthrough Masters victory, while the US Open returns to Pebble Beach, where he won by a historic margin in 2000, and the Open makes it way back to the Old Course at St Andrews, where Woods has twice lifted the Claret Jug.
Should there be a planned “farewell tour” for Tiger Woods, it won’t come more fitting than that.
Will Tiger Woods Play Senior Golf?
Could Woods really play on the PGA Tour Champions in 2026? Seeing the 15-time major winner battling the likes of Miguel Angel Jimenez and Bernhard Langer might sound like a fanciful notion, but why not?
Given his physical issues, Woods would be permitted to use a golf cart on the course in many of the events, and that desire to win surely remains. Langer has won 12 senior majors, which could be a tantalising target to reach for.
Back in April, the great Jack Nicklaus, who himself won several big titles after the age of 50, shared a bold prediction.
“I think Tiger will get well and Tiger will be back and play.
“I believe he’ll probably play the senior tour and I believe he’ll probably dominate the senior tour. Tiger is too much of a competitor to not play. I don’t believe he will not play. I believe he will play.
“I don’t think Tiger will play for money. He doesn’t need money. Tiger will play for competition. He loves competition, and he’s very good at it, obviously.”
Will Tiger Woods Become US Ryder Cup Captain?
Following a defeat on home soil for Team USA, the PGA of America will undertake considerable stock on things ahead of the next Ryder Cup at Adare Manor in 2027.
Woods was a winning playing captain for the Americans in the Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne in 2019, but will he step back into the spotlight and lead his nation against a formidable Team Europe in Ireland?
Citing his busy off the course duties for the PGA Tour, Woods declined the role for Bethpage Black, which led to the shock choice of Keegan Bradley, but will that dynamic change for next time?
Reportedly enjoying a close relationship with J.P. McManus, the owner of Adare Manor, Tiger Woods would be a thrilling selection as captain, whose presence alone would enliven many of the young men he directly inspired to play the game.
Leadership of The PGA Tour
He’s been largely absent on the course, but away from it, as men’s professional golf has been reshaped in recent years, Tiger Woods has taken an active role in that development, being present for negotiations and taking an influential position on key issues.
Woods is now Chairman of the Future Competition Committee, which is a nine-person panel that has been tasked by new PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp to help chart a successful future for the organisation.
It’s clear that the word of Woods holds significant weight and could do even more into the future.
The Tiger Woods Foundation
With education at the heart of things, the TGR Foundation, established in the late 1990s by Tiger Woods and his father, Earl, has provided major support to young people from underprivileged backgrounds to fulfil their potential.
The Tiger Woods Learning Center, a 23-acre education and golf facility in Southern California, is the biggest physical monument to this progress, but there is room for even more growth.
Other Business Interests
We’ve mentioned his founding involvement with TGL, which shall return in early 2026, but Tiger Woods has many additional business ventures beyond even just the game of golf.
Sun Day Red is his clothing line, something that he first unveiled in 2024 that has divided opinion but nonetheless will appeal to his most ardent fans, while he will continue to design golf courses through his TGR Design company, including a nine-hole short layout at the revamped Augusta Municipal, called The Loop at The Patch, while he owns The Woods Jupiter restaurant in Florida and has branched into real-estate through co-founding the Nexus Luxury Collection.
Woods has also collaborated with regular golf partner Justin Timberlake to forge T-Squared Social, which markets itself as a premium sports and entertainment bar/restaurant with Full Swing (another company Woods has a stake in) simulators. Their flagship venue is now established in the heart of Manhattan, New York, while the latest site, incorporating a historic cinema building, has just opened up in the spiritual Home of Golf, St Andrews.
Tiger Woods has much going on – despite his competitive life on the course having drifted in recent years. Whether that fire is rekindled remains to be scene, but it’s clear that whatever he chooses to do, and wherever he does it, intrigue shall continue to follow this most talismanic of athletes.
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