Tiger Woods insisted he is encouraged by his physical progress in 2024, despite bringing his major season to an end with a missed cut at The Open.
The 48-year-old faced an uphill battle to make the weekend at Royal Troon after an opening round of 79, and he could not find the necessary magic on Friday as a 77 left him 14-over and heading home.
It is Woods’ third straight missed cut at The Open, having also failed to make the weekend last year and in 2019, and he has not played four rounds at a major other than the Masters since the PGA Championship four years ago.
Woods finished last of those to make the cut at Augusta in April and has followed it with three premature exits at the other majors this year, with his only other appearance ending in him withdrawing at the Genesis Invitational.
He admitted a lack of competitive golf has proved costly, but remained upbeat on the improvements he has made.
"I'd like to have played more but I just wanted to make sure I was able to play the major championships this year,” Woods said.
“I've got better even though my results haven't really shown it. Physically, I've got better which is great.
"I just need to keep progressing and then eventually start playing more competitively and getting into the competitive flow again."
The 15-major champion said he will “definitely” be at Royal Portrush for next year’s Open, ending any speculation over whether he is considering stepping away from the spot.
Woods has confirmed, though, that he will now take a break from competitive golf to keep working on his physical condition.
His next appearance will be at the Hero World Challenge, a tournament he hosts, in early December, before once again teeing it up at the PNC Championship alongside son Charlie, in an event Woods jokingly labelled his “fifth major”.
