Without a religious cold plunge every day, Tiger Woods cannot avoid feeling extremely sore. At least, that is one of the health confessions he made after finishing dead last in this season’s Masters Tournament. You cannot question his credibility or his long-proven caliber in the sport with how his last couple of years have been. After all, he is known as the GOAT. But what concerns the community is something that threatens not only Woods’s remaining golf career but his physical health at large. As you might have guessed already, Tiger Woods is not participating in the 2024 Scottish Open. No, it is not a new injury. But it’s equally distressing.

Tiger Woods has already notified the world about his plans to play only one game a month last year. That is right. Woods has been downsizing his event numbers. Many speculate it is a strategy to continue playing for a longer time while complying with his health. Whatever the underlying reason, Woods has ultimately played only in the first three majors of the season and the Genesis Open. Nine whole rounds in total to be precise as he withdrew from Genesis after the first round, and failed to make cuts at Valhalla and Pinehurst. Although his legs seem to be in better condition at times, yet they are tinged with persisting pain and discomfort.

May 13, 2024; Louisville, Kentucky, USA; Tiger Woods signs autographs during a practice round for the PGA Championship golf tournament at Valhalla Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

Apart from his already shattered ankle and two leg fractures from 2009, the world-famous golfer also faced an unfortunate near-fatal car accident in 2021. The 15-year-old major winner underwent a subtalar fusion procedure last year. It addressed his post-traumatic arthritis that arose from his previous talus fracture following the accident. Long rehabilitation and several skipped tournaments are what Woods took before he played this season. His zero-mobility ankle threat early this year had also made the whole community worried.

Tiger Woods laid bare his traumatized mindset after his 2024 US Open. The golfer, who had been undergoing a series of injuries and their subsequent repercussions for two decades now, has slowly built up fear. According to the Comeback, Woods remarked, “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?”

Yes, you guessed it right; Woods chose the Open Championship over the Scottish Open. With only a week’s difference in between, the golfer had to choose the last major of the season, which had been long neglected by him.

Tiger Woods’ last five years in the Open Championship

20! That is the number of times that Woods has played at The Open. It was six years ago, in 2018, after when he unfortunately stopped making cuts at The Open after his T6 finish. In 2019, he missed the cut for the third time at the Royal Portrush. Next year, the tournament was canceled due to COVID protocols. What followed next was a back-and-forth of Woods’s surgeries, forcing him to stay out of the game.

His 2021 accident had been a bummer for him for sure. The surgery and follow-up rehabilitation required Tiger Woods to rest, and that led to no major participation from his end. A year later, when he finally played in the Open at St. Andrews, he missed the cut. This was the same golf course where Woods hailed the Open Championship trophy twice before, in 2000 and 2005. But the golfer with 82 PGA Tour wins skipped yet another season last year since he was in recovery.

Thus, for Woods, this season’s Open Championship means an urgency to come out of his missed chances streak. By avoiding the Scottish Open, the golfer thus paves his way towards a better play at the upcoming event. Do you think he will be able to come out of his drought and finally finish better by picking his right “poison?” Let us know in the comments below.