Golf legend Tiger Woods did not submit his registration to play in the Open Championship, so everything indicates that he will once again be absent from the four major tournaments in the same season for the second consecutive year.
The 50-year-old golfer is going through a delicate personal and physical moment. In March he announced that he was temporarily stepping away from professional golf to focus on his health and receive treatment after being arrested for driving under the influence following a car accident.
Authorities reported at the time that Woods was carrying opioid pills in his pocket when he was detained. The former world number one pleaded not guilty in the judicial process related to the case.
Physical problems and recovery
Woods’ medical situation remains complex. The American has undergone seven back surgeries throughout his career, the most recent in October of last year. Additionally, in March 2025 he underwent surgery to repair a ruptured Achilles tendon.
Although he has an automatic exemption to play in the Open Championship until he is 60 years old thanks to his history, Woods decided not to participate in this year’s edition.
The 15-time major champion also has no guaranteed qualification for the next US Open. However, the USGA has already granted him a special invitation in 2024 to compete in Pinehurst, and American media indicate that he could receive another if he wanted to play at Shinnecock Hills next June.
An increasingly uncertain return
Woods has not played an official PGA Tour event since the 2024 Open Championship, increasing doubts about when he will compete at the highest level again.
In recent weeks he was seen returning from Switzerland, a country to which he would have traveled to continue his medical treatment and rehabilitation.
The absence of the historic golfer on the big stages once again fuels the unknowns about the future of one of the most important figures in the history of sports.
