The golfing legend is now just a year away from being eligible to join the Champions Tour after celebrating his 49th birthday, and has already told rival Padraig Harrington of his intent to compete on it
Tiger Woods is now just one year away from being eligible to compete in the Champions Tour
Tiger Woods is edging closer to a significant career change after celebrating his 49th birthday on Monday. The American golf superstar is just a year away from being eligible to compete in the Champions Tour, with one former major champion already disclosing Woods’ interest in participating.
To compete in the Champions Tour, players must be at least 50-years-old by June 1 of that year, positioning Tiger perfectly to join the tour in early 2026. Players also have to complete a 72-hole Regional Qualifying Stage to prove their readiness for senior golf, which Woods will be hoping to pass with flying colors.
Multiple major winner Padraig Harrington revealed Woods’ plans in a chat with Today’s Golfer ahead of the Senior Open at Carnoustie. “I met Tiger recently and he said he was looking forward to coming out onto the Champions Tour,” Harrington shared.
“I think his words were, ‘I can’t wait to beat you out on the Champions Tour’, or something like that. He doesn’t want me to have it all my own way, let’s put it like that! I’m looking forward to the challenge.”
Woods would be allowed to use a golf cart on the Champions Tour, but it remains uncertain whether he will choose this option. As the golf legend continues to manage injuries from a near-fatal car crash in 2021, using a cart could potentially enhance his chances of winning regularly.
Regardless, the idea of Woods competing against his former friends and rivals is an exciting prospect for fans and players alike.
When asked about a potential rematch against Woods, Rocco Mediate told the Detroit News earlier this year: “I like it noisy. I like more people. I can’t wait. What else are you gonna do? That’d be the only thing I’d say to him.
Thanks for giving us the gift of the stinger, @TigerWoods.
Happy birthday 👑 pic.twitter.com/h4JNsoHZ6j
— U.S. Open (@usopengolf) December 30, 2024
“If he’s healthy, he can still compete on the regular tour as long as he wants. But if he’s not, he can ride around in a cart out here, which he’ll do because it’s OK out here … and it’s competition, and it’s another era to break all the records. It’d be great to have him back, and he’ll have a ball. It’s all his buddies. It’s all his friends.”
Woods has faced challenges competing on the regular tour over the past three years. He made his golf comeback at the 2022 Masters, but his performances in majors since then have resulted in two withdrawals and four missed cuts. Despite this tough period, Woods remains optimistic about his future.
“I’ve gotten better, even though my results really haven’t shown it,” he said. “I just need to keep progressing like that and then eventually start playing more competitively and start getting into kind of the competitive flow again. I’m going to just keep getting physically better and keep working on it.”
