‘What a Joke’: PGA Tour’s Favorable Move for Tiger Woods Infuriates Fans Amid the 48YO’s Struggling Form

Tiger Woods might be getting a special exemption for every signature event starting in 2025. According to the report by Golf.com’s Sean Zak, a green sheet of the Players Advisory Board of the PGA Tour will be discussing the exemption on the upcoming Tuesday of the Travelers Championship, the last signature event of 2024.

Notably, four sponsor exemptions have been given to players not already exempt for these signature events. To maximize these spots for better players and still have Woods play the limited-field event, PAC will have a vote on whether the 82-time PGA Tour winner will be given the lifetime exemption for his career wins.

Woods, being a member of PAC, may abstain from voting in the matter. Once approved, This lifetime exemption will be implemented from 2025. The 48-year-old’s exemption into The Sentry is a bit tricky as only past champions are allowed. Regardless, the special exemption will only be useful if Woods decides to play more events, which in 2024 he has only played three in six months.

Despite all this, the golf community does not seem to support the PGA Tour’s attempts to recognize Woods’s work for the game’s growth and give him a lifetime exemption. The fans were taken aback by the news and vocalized their disapproval of the matter.

Golf fans are against Tiger Woods’s special exemption

In recent days, the sponsor’s exemption for the signature events has been given to two or three frequent players like Adam Scott, Webb Simpson, or Gary Woodland. These players and the PGA Tour have been criticized for it, as the golf community deemed it took away chances from other deserving pros. With Woods’s special exemption, this might further solidify the existing notion. This fan found the move of the PGA Tour and PAC restricting younger talent and said, “Tell me you don’t want to grow the game with younger players…”

The decision is yet to be taken but most of the PAC might not be opposed to the idea of legendary players like Wood getting the lifetime exemption. However, this fan found that “This is ridiculous.” While another called out the PGA Tour for the unexpected move and sarcastically said, “What a joke” it would be.

Since the accident in 2021, Woods has participated in only eight official PGA Tour events, missing the cut twice and withdrawing from three events. In the 2024 season, the 48-year-old has played in just three tournaments. Among them, he withdrew from one and failed to make the cut at the PGA Championship. Taking his recent performance stats into account, one fan shared, “Why give a guy a spot who is only going to play Thursday and Friday.”Currently at Pinehurst No. 2, Woods finished the opening round with a 4-over 74, recording 6 bogeys and two birdies.

The PGA Tour’s Players Advisory Council includes 16 players, including Woods. As revealed in this decision of lifetime exemption, the 82-time PGA Tour winner will probably not vote for it. However, it was assumed that Woods might have been behind the new exemption of being a Player Director on PAC. This fan frustratingly said, “So that grub is making rules just for himself? Hope they vote NO.”

In recent days, the PGA Tour events have been losing TV ratings as the bifurcation in the golf world affected the league. Moreover, sponsors have been leaving the PGA Tour side, like Wells Fargo left the Quail Hollow signature event. This viewer speculated that the special exemption was to curb these issues. They said, “TV has told the tour they are withdrawing millions unless the junkie is playing.” 

Will PAC vote in favor of Tiger Woods’s lifetime exemption? The result will be out on Tuesday of the Travelers Championship. But till then, tell us what you think about the exemption.