After Jay Monahan’s Biased Tiger Woods Move, Champions Tour May Pull All the Strings for Struggling 48-Year-Old

Health woes kept Tiger Woods away from the game. But even Jay Monahan knows that people will flock together to watch him play despite long hiatuses, multiple withdrawals, and below-average performances. No doubt the PGA Tour is doing everything it can to keep his magic alive. One of the most recent efforts by the American circuit was ‘The Tiger Woods Rule’.

The 82-time PGA Tour champion was granted a lifetime exemption which will come into effect from 2025 onwards. “I think just as an organization we wanted to celebrate his exceptionalism in that manner,” said Jay Monahan, while showing his support for the decision made by the Policy Board. This allows Woods to compete in all eight signature tournaments for the rest of his career. However, it is not only the PGA Tour but also the senior branch of the American circuit who are ready to make big changes to their rules just to witness Tiger Woods in action!

What was the rule the PGA Tour Champions were willing to change?

It’s not only the Senior Tour but Tiger Woods himself has always been eager to play on the PGA Tour Champions and smash some records. Just two years ago, the legend was given an early pass to become a part of it. During the 2022 American Insurance Championship, PGA Tour Champions President Miller Brady and tournament host Steve Stricker discussed the topic of age restrictions on the PGA Tour Champions.

Brady, while recalling the old conversation, told Golf Week, “I said, ‘No, we just did this’. ‘Unless Tiger tells me he’d play right now. (if that’s the case), I’ll lower the age tomorrow.'” Following this conversation, Stricker pulled out his phone and shot Woods a message:  If we lower the age, would you play the Champions tour?

Stricker then nervously waited for Woods to reply. The Senior PGA Tour was created in 1980, and the eligibility age has remained the same since then. Stricker asked Brady about how the age criteria came to be. They felt it was time to revise the lower limit of age 50. But what was Mr. T’s response?

Woods, without letting him wait for much time, replied, “No, I’m not ready. I want to follow in the same footsteps as Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, and Bernhard Langer.” At that time, the 15-time major winner was only 46 years old. So his reluctance to make a debut so early was understandable. However, if Mr. T’s answer had been different, a change in age criteria might have been on the cards for the PGA Tour Champions.

And who knows, if the 82-time PGA Tour winner messages Miller Brady that he wants to play the PGA Tour Champions now, he might change it to 48. Brady has explained that they are eagerly waiting for Woods to join the PGA Tour Champions. In fact, they even looked at amending the cart policy to make things easier for Woods.

“Let’s make sure he can play. You hate to make special rules but if we can get him out here with a cart, let’s do it, you know what I mean,” Stricker said. “We should do everything we can.”

Just as the senior Tour is anticipating the 15-time major winner’s PGA Tour Champions debut, Woods cannot wait either. He told Padraig Harrington at the 2023 PNC Championship that he could not wait to beat him at the Senior Tour. When is Tiger Woods predicted to make his debut at the PGA Tour Champions, and which record could he match?

What will debuting at the PGA Tour Champions mean for Tiger Woods?

From the very beginning of his golf journey, Tiger Woods has been a record maker and breaker. He won the U.S. Junior Amateur three times in a row and has a slam named after him—the Tiger Slam, for winning four majors from 2000 to 2001. This includes his first U.S. Open victory.

Then the 48-year-old lifted the U.S. Open trophy two more times- in 2002 and then in 2008. He also amassed nine USGA Championships. It’s no wonder that this year, the USGA decided to grant a special exemption to the PGA Tour pro for the 2024 U.S. Open.

Two years from now, Woods will realistically start playing the PGA Tour Champions, and at the 2026 Senior U.S. Open, the 82-time PGA Tour winner will have a chance to tie Bobby Jones’s record. By winning at the Scioto Country Club in Ohio, he would have the record for having the most USGA Championship victories.

Also, a win at Scioto would make him the very first one to win the U.S. Senior Open, U.S. Junior (3), U.S. Amateur (3) and U.S. Open (3).

Although there are still two years for Woods to make his PGA Tour Champions debut, the anticipation among the veteran pros and his fans has started growing. It would indeed be a sight to witness, as Woods might start to win again! What do you think?