‘Cannot Hold Up’: Tiger Woods Disappoints PGA Championship Fans Despite Positive Golf Cart Move

For a long time now, Tiger Woods has spoken up against the usage of golf carts during the PGA Tour events. Back when he made a return to the sport at the Hero World Challenge, the golfer was queried about whether he would use a cart at the Albany Golf Club. His answer was a firm ‘no,’ as the 82-time PGA Tour champ expressed that he was “not concerned at all about walking it.” And when it comes to the PGA Championship, he is determined not use the golf cart at Valhalla.

He has expressed his approval of using the vehicle in tournaments such as the PNC or The Match, unlike any PGA Tour event, which allows golfers to use carts for medical reasons. “On the sanctioned events where it’s allowed? Yes.” Which is the Champions Tour, the PNC, or things of that nature?” said Woods. The PGA Championship does not fall into this category and hence his reluctance. But this has left the fans disappointed and concerned.

Despite recent health struggles, the golfer was spotted at the range without any vehicles pointing towards his unchanged strong sentiment regarding carts. NUCLRGOLF shared a post on their X handle just hours ago about the professional “striping it on the range ahead of the 2024 PGA Championship.” However, the fans were not too kind to Woods, as they went ahead to paint the current stark reality of the athlete.

When the golfer’s presence was confirmed at Augusta this year, many people were doubtful about his ability to complete 72 holes, given his medical history. But he didn’t give up. The 48-year-old was spotted using a pain reliever to massage his lower spine and torso at the first major of the season. In addition, the camera also caught a pain patch on his lower back, leading many to worry about his health and re-aggravated pain. Tiger Woods’s sluggish movement around the greens further solidified the concerns. He took a total of two hours and fifty minutes to complete the first nine on Thursday at Augusta, but he completed all four days and proudly completed 100 rounds at ANGC.

Woods scored a commendable 73 (+1) on the first day while dishing out an even-par score on Friday. These numbers, which resulted from six birdies and seven bogeys, were enough to help him make the cut for Saturday. This helped him make his 24th consecutive cut. However, the pro couldn’t keep his momentum for the rest of the tournament as his back pain and other concerns seemed to have affected him.

This caused the 15-time major champ to score an 82 (+10) on the moving day, followed by a 77 (+5) on the final day. He finished at T60 and was still proud of himself. “It was a good week. It was a good week all around. I think that coming in here, not having played a full tournament in a very long time, it was a good fight on Thursday and Friday. Unfortunately, yesterday it didn’t quite turn out the way I wanted it to,” said Woods. The star’s 10-over 82 in the third round became his worst major round in his 28-year-long illustrious career.

Woods was excited to return to golf’s grandest events and expressed his excitement for the same: “I’m going to do my homework going forward at Pinehurst [U.S. Open], Valhalla [PGA Championship], and Troon [Open Championship], but that’s kind of the game plan.” Now that the moment is almost here, the golfer is all pumped up and is willing to test his perseverance all over again. But are the fans excited too? or do they think the same way they did before the Masters?

Are fans concerned about Tiger Woods’s bold decision to not use the golf cart?

Earlier English golfer Paul Broadhurst had said that Woods will have to use a buggy to play the PGA Champions Tour. Broadhurst has two second places on the PGA senior tour in the United States with the Champions Tour rules allowing him to play tournaments in a golf cart. Should Woods follow suit or will he be able to play without using the cart?

His history with injuries and what happened to him in the 2022 near-fatal accident raise valid concerns among fans. Ever since that unfavorable evening, the golfer has had trouble and has not been able to perform the way he or his fans want. A fan couldn’t help but point out, “I think him walking 72 holes comfortably is the major concern.”

His 2023 WD from the Masters, where he reinstated his plantar fasciitis pain and had to go through ankle surgery, proved that he may need a golf cart to save his energy for the play. Thus another fan expressed their strong belief that if the golfer was to end up winning the PGA Championship he needs to use a cart, “Only chance he has to win again is if he can ride in a cart.”

Tiger Woods is undoubtedly a champ. His 15 major wins and 82 Tour wins are a true testament to that. But one cannot ignore the fact that he is struggling. If he makes the cut going forward at the PGA Championship his endurance will be tested. Raising this concern a fan in true fashion commented, “Tiger ‘Striping it on the range’ is like watching a long drive champ kill it – & extrapolating that to him winning on tour All indications are his body simply cannot hold up to 4 days – unfortunate, but true,”  The golfer himself has said, “It’s the other parts” that hurt. It is his struggle that might make it hard for him to complete his play.

While he appeared sharp on the range, competing against top golfer will be a different story. Another user mentioned, “Wins aren’t decided on the range!”

The highlight came when Scottie Scheffler, the 2024 Masters champ, was chosen as the probable champion over Tiger Woods. This year, Scheffler’s game has been out of this world. He has won four times and even became the first golfer to defend THE PLAYERS title. No doubt, the fans wish to keep their eyes on him.

A fan wrote, “He looks great in practice but by the 3rd round if he makes the cut it’s unfortunately it’s a different story…I’d keep my eye on Scottie; he’s #1 for reason.” The fan narrated the emotion that people had for Woods before the Masters. Though he proudly made the cut he didn’t win. But come the PGA Championships he aims to add a 16th stripe to his Sun Day Red logo.

Woods sure looks great on the range, but will he look the same during the actual competition? It remains to be seen. It appears the golfer is determined to brave the Valhalla course and prove himself all over again.