The Open Championship 2024: Is Tiger Woods Playing in the Final Major of the Year

Two years ago, a teary-eyed Tiger Woods waved what seemed like a goodbye to the St. Andrews crowd. With his failing health and declining rate of making cuts, many assumed he wouldn’t be playing the event anymore. However, to everyone’s surprise, Woods is back for The Open at Royal Troon. Two back-to-back missed cuts this year, yet Tiger Woods is giving himself yet another chance at a major competition this season.

Tiger Woods has not had any wins since the 2019 Masters. If you are wondering how he qualified for the 152nd The Open Championship, you need to look back at his career. He has three Open Championship titles that he earned in 2000, 2005, and 2006. The only exception to him defending his title was the US Open, where Woods was never able to have a winning streak.

So, the three Claret Jugs give him the exemption to play in The Open until he is 60. So, he has 12 more years to add a fourth one to his cabinet. As per the PGA Tour, another exemption that has helped him get in the field is that all the Augusta winners from 2019–2024 are qualified. In 1997 and 2004, the previous two Royal Troon The Opens, Woods finished T24 and T9, respectively. This is going to be the first year when he is playing in all four majors since his near-fatal crash.

“I’m physically getting better as the year has gone on. I just haven’t been able to play as much because I just don’t want to hurt myself pre(tournament), then I won’t be able to play in the major championships. It’s pick your poison, right?” said Woods, and he did pick his poison, indeed! Despite his determination, a few people in the golf fraternity think that Tiger Woods does not have the charm he used to anymore.  

Are Colin Montgomerie’s thoughts true for Tiger Woods?

The Scottish golf veteran, Colin Montgomerie claimed Woods is losing his charm because he has not been enjoying playing as much as he used to. Looking back at Woods’s recent play, Montgomerie announced that Woods had not enjoyed a single shot at the last major he played. He said, “At Pinehurst, he did not seem to enjoy a single shot, and you think, ‘What the hell is he doing?’ He’s coming to Troon, and he won’t enjoy it there either.”

For many golfers and fans, Tiger Woods is the GOAT. His attitude has been one thing that has helped set him apart from others. Now that the legend has been on the decline, many might fear his reputation in front of the new generation of golf fans. Colin Montgomerie is one of them. The Scottish golfer claimed, “I hope people remember Tiger as Tiger was—the passion and the charismatic aura around him.”

He further added that this new generation will never know about the Woods Era that he and others have enjoyed. Sadly, they will only know the years wherein the 82x PGA Tour winner and 15x major champion is missing the cuts, “These guys only know Tiger Woods missing the cut, and he’s better than that, the best we’ve ever seen.”

How well do you think Tiger Woods will perform at The Open? Will he be able to make a cut? Do you agree with what Colin Mantogemerie has said?