Tiger Woods won’t be at Augusta National this week for the 2025 Masters as he recovers from surgery on a ruptured Achilles tendon. However, the 15-time major champion was still top of mind Monday as Masters Week kicked off with news of a venture between Woods and the famed golf course.
Augusta National and Masters Tournament chairman Fred Ridley announced Monday that the five-time Masters champion and Augusta National will partner to boost access to affordable golf and “high-quality educational programming” in the Augusta area.
This partnership will see Woods and his architecture firm, TGR Design, craft a “new, nine-hole short course as part of the renovation of the Augusta Municipal Golf Course.” AMGC is commonly referred to as The Patch. Woods’ non-profit TGR Foundation will also build a TGR Learning Lab in Augusta, Ga., to “provide access to science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) education and opportunities for young people to prepare for their future.”
“Today’s announcements mark an important milestone for Augusta and deepen the connection our community has with one of our greatest Masters champions, Tiger Woods,” Ridley said in a statement. “We are thankful to partner with the TGR Foundation and jointly invest in the Augusta community. This partnership in the TGR Learning Lab reflects our shared interest in increasing access to high-quality programming and impacting the next generation in a tangible way. At the heart of our effort at The Patch is a commitment to create an affordable and inviting golf experience. Equal importance will be placed on creating opportunities to learn and fall in love with the game as well as developing a pipeline for employment in the golf industry. We are proud to add TGR Design to work alongside our project partners to bring this dynamic plan to fruition.”
The TGR Learning Lab is expected to open in 2028 and will serve Richmond County School System students and students from the Central Savannah River Area.
“Partnering with Augusta National Golf Club to serve its surrounding community is truly special,” Woods added in a statement. “My passion for education and golf dates back a long time, as does my relationship with Augusta National and the city of Augusta. This is a transformational opportunity to empower the next generation and deliver meaningful educational programming and access to fun and affordable golf. I am excited to work alongside Augusta National and see both projects become a reality.”
Monday’s announcement also came with Ridley unveiling the master plan to renovate The Patch.
The plan includes the new nine-hole course designed by Woods, called The Loop, and a redesign of the 18-hole layout by Tom Fazio and Beau Welling.
As for Woods’ competitive golf future, there is no timetable for his return. Bernhard Langer ruptured his Achilles last year and returned to competition on the PGA Tour Champions circuit three months later.
Woods has not played in a PGA Tour event since last year’s Open Championship.
