Tiger Woods’s best major finish has yet to come. Hank Haney, his swing coach between 2004 and 2010, believes we’ll see that at this year’s Open Championship. Reportedly, Woods’s Gulfstream 550 has already touched down in South Ayrshire. The 15-time major winner wasted no time before hitting the driving range. 

Haney, with whom Tiger Woods won six of 15 majors and 31 of his 82 PGA Tour titles, was buoyant after watching the clips. It was widely believed that Augusta was Woods’s best chance, given his history on the Georgia pitch. The veteran has five wins and a further nine top-10 finishes. Among the three majors this year, Woods has made the cut only in the Masters. But Haney still believes otherwise.

Haney, with whom Tiger Woods won six of 15 majors and 31 of his 82 PGA Tour titles, was buoyant after watching the clips. It was widely believed that Augusta was Woods’s best chance, given his history on the Georgia pitch. The veteran has five wins and a further nine top-10 finishes. Among the three majors this year, only in the Masters has Woods made the cut. But Haney still believes otherwise.

In a lengthy tweet, the veteran swing coach wrote, “A lot of people thought Augusta was Tiger’s best chance to ever win again, it’s (sic) wasn’t, it was always the Open Championship for multiple reasons, he can hit shots like this, slower greens mean fewer 3 putts and no one has more knowledge about playing links golf. Based on what he’s done so far this year it’s kind of looking like now or never. His swing looks really good in practice.”

Woods has played only twice in Royal Troon before. In the 2004 Open Championship, the 48-year-old tied for ninth, six shots behind the champion, Todd Hamilton. And, in 1997, Woods settled for T24. The former world No. 1 missed the 2016 iteration due to injuries. 

Haney’s opinion is not unfounded. Aside from his three victories, Tiger Woods, has a further seven top-10s at the Open Championship from his 22 appearances. Links golf has given Woods some of the best moments in his career. In fact, the 82-time PGA Tour winner himself once revealed why links golf is his favorite. 

Tiger Woods prefers Links courses for this one reason

Woods’s legacy in Golf is multifold. The one who tamed Augusta, the one who (unwittingly) raised the ball distance control debate, and the one whose iron often behaved like the Excalibur. But above everything, it’s the creativity of shots, and the boldness to try out a new shot that inspired a generation. It’s also why Tiger Woods believed links courses are special. They force you to be creative with your game. 

Here is what the 15-time major winner said ahead of the 2018 Open Championship: “I enjoy this type (links) of golf because it is creative and you have to use your mind. We’re not going to get the most perfect bounces. A certain shot that is hit where you think is a wonderful shot down the middle of the fairway could bounce some weird way. That’s just part of it. That’s the fun challenge of it.”

Golf – The 150th Open Championship – Old Course, St Andrews, Scotland, Britain – July 12, 2022 Tiger Woods of the U.S. during practice REUTERS/Paul Childs

Woods has already played an 18-hole practice round with his close buddy, Justin Thomas. Per on-ground reports, chipping, putting, and bunker game were his main focus from the practice round for Monday. On Tuesday afternoon, he was slated for another round with Max Homa and Thomas.

An outright top-place finish is unlikely to be in the cards, but Haney’s comments reveal some are expecting his best major finish to come on away soil. Interestingly, Haney and Woods’s relationship has gone frosty over the years. Especially, after the publication of ‘The Big Miss’, which prompted Tiger Woods to call his former coach ‘unprofessional’. But Haney’s latest comment reveals he is still in awe of his ex-student.