It was disappointing but not surprising to hear Tiger Woods say—at least for now—that he’s not planning to play any fall events prior to the Hero World Challenge, the 20-player unofficial event that he hosts in the Bahamas.
Woods, who missed the cut at the British Open and has played just five tournaments and 11 rounds in 2024, has continually said he needs to play more, body permitting.
But he’s also not been able to get into any kind of competitive rhythm, his lack of golf leading to the cycle of missed cuts and poor play. Woods shows plenty of signs of good play in spurts, but he lacks the sharpness that comes from playing more often.
“I got a lot of time off to get better, to be better physically, which has been the case all year,’’ he said. “I've gotten better, even though my results really haven't shown it, but physically I've gotten better, which is great. 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.’’
Woods is clearly not motivated by fall golf at this point in his career but it could go a long way toward helping him build up some momentum, even if it’s just a few events. Waiting nearly five months to play again seems like starting the process over.
And it’s not like there are limited opportunities. The Napa event to start the fall schedule is one Woods long ago committed to play and never did. He won the ZOZO Championship (which is in October) in 2019 and has never been. The World Wide Technology event in November is at a course he designed in Mexico. The RSM Classic in Georgia is close to home.
Pick two of those prior to the Hero, play somewhere in January such as Torrey Pines and now that’s four tournaments prior to the Genesis Invitational he hosts at Riviera. It’s not a lot—and obviously this is all based on physically being able to do it—but it goes a long way toward working out some of the issues with his game while giving a baseline for competition.
Woods could always change his mind, but it seems unlikely. The next time we see him play will most likely be the Hero World Challenge in early December, then what he joked being the “fifth major,’’ the Father-Son PNC tournament.
Jon Rahm, the Ryder Cup and Other Notes
Rahm needs to play four DP World Tour events this year to retain his membership and be eligible for next year’s Ryder Cup. Next week’s Olympic tournament will count as one and he has said he wants to play the Spanish Open in early October. But Rahm also said his wife, Kellie, who is expecting the couple’s third child, is dealing with a difficult pregnancy and he expressed concern about meeting the requirement.
So far, Rahm said, he has not discussed the matter with DP World Tour officials. He’d need to play three more times, and there is also another event in Spain in October. There is also the French Open. Could the DP World Tour give the LIV Golf star a waiver if he comes up short?
- Xander Schauffele is the first player to win the PGA Championship and Open in the same year since Rory McIlroy did it in 2014, and the first two win two majors in the same year since Brooks Koepka won the U.S. Open and PGA in 2018.
- This the first time since 1982 that Americans won all four majors in the same year: Scottie Scheffler, Schauffele (twice) and Bryson DeChambeau. In 1982, it was Craig Stadler at the Masters, Tom Waston at both Opens and Raymond Floyd at the PGA.
- Schauffele was the only player this year to finish among the top 10 in all four majors. He was eighth at the Masters and tied for seventh at the U.S. Open.
- Schauffele’s total three putts for the week at Troon: 0.
- The conclusion to the PGA Tour regular season comes quickly. This week’s 3M Championship and the Wyndham Championship (which follows the Olympic Men’s event) are the last opportunities to qualify for the top 70 and first playoff event at the FedEx St. Jude Championship.
- It’s a long eight months-plus until the next major championship. The Masters begins on April 10, 2025.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as PGA Tour Fall Schedule Is Set, But One Major Star Appears Ready to Skip It.
