Tiger Woods will be 50 in December. Do you know what that means?
He’s eligible for the PGA Tour Champions.
“There’s going to be great anticipation for Tiger Woods,” Paul Azinger said in a recent conference call promoting the tour’s Chubb Classic. “Tiger Woods will be eligible … and the big question is whether or not Tiger is going to play, what’s that going to do to this tour. You’ve got all those giant names on this tour, and you bring Tiger in, I think the global media shows up immediately. I’m talking about the global media. Then all of a sudden the focus is on this tour.”
Woods is playing the over-50 tour will undoubtedly bring eyes to the circuit. The 15-time major champion currently plays a limited schedule due to a slew of injuries over the past several years. Walking is particularly hard for him; however, with PGA Tour Champions players allowed to use carts, Woods alluded to his senior tour future a few years ago.
“I've got three more years, where I get the little buggy and be out there with Fred (Couples),” Woods said at the 2023 Masters.
The PGA Tour Champions’s greatest player is Bernhard Langer, who’s the all-time leader in wins (47) and senior major titles (12). Langer, with his son Jason, edged out Tiger and Charlie Woods at December’s PNC Championship, an exhibition. Bernhard Langer, however, would relish the opportunity to go up against Tiger Woods in the Champions Tour’s top events.
“It would be a thrill to see Tiger come out and play the Champions Tour,” the 67-year-old said, “and I’m convinced he will play several. Depends how many.
“I’m going to gradually get older and older here, and I may not be at the very top of my game when he comes out, but he always moves the needle. He’s a very exciting personality to watch, and it would be fantastic for Tiger and for our tour to be competing out there, and I think all the players would welcome him.”
Even after he turns 50, Woods might try to claim glory one last time against the sport’s top players. But Azinger believes Woods has a responsibility to play alongside those who challenged Woods early in his career.
“I believe there’s a lot of anticipation,” said Azinger, a 12-time PGA Tour winner and NBC’s lead PGA Tour Champions analyst. “A lot of guys are going to be in shape and ready and try to beat Tiger if they can.
“I think Tiger might even feel an obligation to play the (PGA Tour Champions). The Tour has given Tiger a lot of money the last few years with that Player Impact Program. I’m sure he's going to give back, and it’s going to be to all the benefit of these guys out here that are over 50.”
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Paul Azinger Says Tiger Woods Has ‘Obligation’ to Play PGA Tour Champions.
