Is Tiger Woods eligible to play in the PGA Tour Champions Tour? All you need to know
Tiger Woods is currently not eligible for the PGA Tour Champions Tour, considering he is just 48 years old. Since one needs to be at least 50 years old to qualify for the Senior Tour, he will have to wait for the 2026 season to compete against veterans.
A couple of weeks ago, Woods' much-anticipated return on the PGA Tour couldn't go as planned as he was forced to withdraw from the Genesis Invitational 2024 in between due to the flu and dehydration. This was his first official start since the 2023 Masters Tournament, but it could only last for just 24 holes.
Although Woods later confirmed that it was just the flu and put the injury rumors to rest, it came as another break in his successful return. The last four years have been quite tough for him career-wise. First, he met with a life-threatening accident in 2021 that forced him to stay away from the game for quite a while.
Since winning the Zozo Championship, Woods has made only eight non-major PGA Tour official starts. In the last 18 months, he has played only three events. Last year, he underwent a subtalar fusion surgery to treat his ankle. After returning to action, he expected to play one event each month this season.
During the Genesis Invitational, Tiger Woods denied having a retirement plan anytime soon.
"As far as the love, I still love competing," said Woods. "I love playing, I love being a part of the game of golf. This is the game of a lifetime and I don't ever want to stop playing. I love being able to compete, I love being able to enjoy different conversations from across time.
"For instance, like today, to be able to play with two great athletes, the cross-pollination doesn't happen with other sports. And this game, I love that and I don't ever want to lose that," he continued.
Tiger Woods still has his eyes on Jack Nicklaus' tally of 18 Major championship wins. One more win on the PGA Tour will make him the winningest player on the tour. Currently, he is tied with Sam Snead with 82 wins.
While the 15-time Major champion is hopeful of playing more in the coming years, one cannot deny that the injuries have not been helpful in his plans. It will be interesting to see what he does in the coming months.
Will Tiger Woods play at the Cognizant Classic?
Tiger Woods is not competing at the Cognizant Classic 2024, the next stop on the PGA Tour's schedule. He is not expected to play any events before the Players Championship, which starts in a couple of weeks.
The Cognizant Classic is a non-signature event but will not be devoid of stars, as 19 of the top-50 ranked golfers are in action this week. The purse size of the event is $9 million.