Tiger Woods has officially ended his pursuit of a 16th major championship in 2024. The 48-year-old struggled greatly in the first two rounds of The Open Championship at Royal Troon, finishing with a score of 14-over par and failing to make the cut. Due to injury concerns, Woods has played very little this year and plans to participate in more tournaments in 2025.
However, this does not mean that Woods is finished for the remainder of 2024. According to Barstool Sports’ Dan Rapaport, he will be taking a break from competition for the next few months but will return in December for the Hero World Challenge in Albany, Bahamas. As the host of the non-PGA Tour event, Woods’ participation was expected. It will be interesting to see how he performs after a disappointing major season, where he placed 60th at The Masters and missed the cut in the other three championships.
The extended break should ideally benefit Woods physically, but the long gap between tournaments could continue to negatively impact his game. The Hero World Challenge could serve as a valuable opportunity for him to prepare for the 2025 PGA Tour season. The annual event features twenty of the best and most renowned golfers, adding an extra level of prestige to the competition. Scottie Scheffler emerged as the winner in 2023 after narrowly missing out on victory in the previous two years.
Given Woods’ exceptional form this year, it would be somewhat poetic for the world’s top-ranked player to end 2024 with another triumph at his own tournament. In the 2023 Hero World Challenge, Woods finished in 18th place with an even-par score. This year, he will aim to be a true contender for the title. While winning may be unrealistic given his recent performances, it is crucial for him to swing the club well and provide fans with a glimpse of what may come in 2025.
However, the golfing community has learned to adjust their expectations when it comes to this version of Tiger Woods. The Hero World Challenge is scheduled to take place from December 5th to 8th.
Photo – Tiger Woods Instagram
