Being the needle mover in the golf world comes with its own benefits; one can always ask Tiger Woods about it. Just a few days ago, the PGA Tour granted Woods a lifetime exemption to compete in every signature event starting in 2025. The exemption was particularly for any golfer who has won 82 times on the PGA Tour, and except the 48-year-old, no one else is in the line.
Woods was given this special treatment because of his influence on and off the course and just how his presence has grown the game of golf to different levels. Although he has been struggling on the Tour for a couple of years, especially this season as he has missed 2 cuts in 3 major events. Following such a huge move by the PGA Tour, the PGA Tour Champions hinted that they were too opting to change a rule just to include Tiger Woods.
What was the rule the PGA Tour Champions were willing to change?
Tiger Woods has always been eager to play on the PGA Tour Champions and smash some records there too. However, when he was given the opportunity with a little bias, he straightforwardly denied it. Going back to the 2022 American Insurance Championship, PGA Tour Champions president Brady Miller and tournament host Steve Stricker were discussing the age restrictions of 50 years for playing on the PGA Tour Champions.
The Senior’s PGA Tour was created in 1980, and the eligibility age since then has been the same. So Stricker asked Miller about how the age criteria came to be. Miller told Golf Week, “I said, ‘No, we just did this’. ‘Unless Tiger tells me he’d play right now. (if that’s the case), I’ll lower the age tomorrow.’” Following this conversation, Stricker pulled out his phone and shot Woods a message asking if he wanted to debut on the PGA Tour Champions. The 12-time PGA Tour winner was nervous as he waited for a response.
Woods, without letting him wait for much time, replied, “No, I’m not ready. I want to follow in the same footsteps as Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, and Bernhard Langer.” At that time, the 15-time major winner was only 46 years old, so his reluctance to avoid debuting then was understandable. However, this incident showcases that if Woods had agreed to play then, the age criteria would have been lowered to 46.
And who knows, if the 82-time PGA Tour winner messages Miller that he wants to play the PGA Tour Champions now, he might change it to 48. Miller has explained that they are eagerly waiting for Woods to join the PGA Tour Champions, saying, “We should do everything we can,” even if it means allowing an early exemption or using carts for majors and other events.
USA Today via Reuters
Just as the senior Tour is anticipating the 15-time major winner’s PGA Tour Champions debut, Woods cannot wait either. He told Padraig Harrington at the 2023 PNC Championship that he could not wait to beat him at the Senior Tour. When is Tiger Woods predicted to make his debut at the PGA Tour Champions, and which record could he match?What will debuting at the PGA Tour Champions mean for Tiger Woods?
Be it in his amateur career or pro career, Woods has won! Starting from 1999 until 2008, the 48-year-old won the U.S. Junior Amateur and three U.S. Amateurs in a row. Then he won the U.S. Open on the PGA Tour in 2000, 2002, and 2008, amassing nine USGA Championships.
Two years from now, Woods will realistically start playing the PGA Tour Champions, and at the 2026 Senior U.S. Open, the 82-time PGA Tour winner will have a chance to tie Bobby Jones’s record. By winning at the Scioto Country Club in Ohio, he would have the record for having the most USGA Championship victories.
Although there are still two years for Woods to make his PGA Tour Champions debut, the anticipation among the veteran pros and his fans has started growing. It would indeed be a sight to witness as Woods might start to win again and chart in the leaderboards!
