Tiger Woods’s Retirement Rumors May Burn Bridges as Jay Monahan & PGA Tour’s Humble Gesture Faces Contradiction

U.S. Open 2024: Tiger Woods hangs tough, flirts with cut after Round 1 as Pinehurst proves difficult - CBSSports.com

The 48-year-old has surely seen better days. The legend of the game, Tiger Woods, was forced to go home early at the ongoing event as he found himself missing the cut by 2 strokes. That makes it his second missed cut in three majors in 2024, and maybe his last U.S. Open. Yes, you read that right, as the golfer had hinted at the same after the round was over. But this might spell trouble for the Jay Monahan-led PGA Tour, which was reportedly discussing a favorable move for the 15-time major champ.

“As far as my last Open Championship or U.S. Open Championship, It may or may not be,” confessed the 82-time PGA Tour champ when he was queried on whether his stint at the ongoing event would be his last appearance at the major. Although he didn’t confirm the same, the statement was enough to spark speculations about whether Woods would be thinking of retiring.

If the rumors of him stopping do turn out to be true, then the recent PGA Tour move, as per reports, would all be for naught. The Player Advisory Board of the Jay Monahan-led circuit was apparently planning to discuss a lifetime exemption of the 1997 Masters Tournament champ for every signature event from 2025.

The report made by Golf.com’s Sean Zak mentions how the PAC will review the same during a regular meeting at the final signature event of the season, the Travelers Championship. Although Tiger Woods does have a lifetime exception on the Tour owing to his career wins, he doesn’t have one at the elevated events that many high-profile players have expressed their desire to get into.

That’s not all. Even if his retirement rumors do come out to be false, the very fact that he has played in just eight official PGA Tour events post his 2021 accident further paints a bleak picture. Moreover, Woods mentioning how he might even skip the FedEx playoffs further adds to the contradiction.

Tiger Woods comes out candid on his future plans

“I’ve only got one more tournament this season,” disclosed the Woods while alluding to the Open Championship that is set to take place at Royal Troon. The 48-year-old then admitted how he wouldn’t try to play a bit more while adding, “I don’t think even if I win the British Open I don’t think I’ll be in the Playoffs.” The athlete thus revealed how he wouldn’t tee it up at the FedEx Cup playoffs if he did emerge victorious at the 152nd Open Championship.

The fans can, meanwhile, only hope the Hall of Famer manages to dish out a better performance at the upcoming major at Royal Troon next month. But will Tiger Woods actually say goodbye to the game after the tournament? That is a question that everyone will be curious about!