Tour Confidential: Where does Tiger Woods finish at the Open Championship?

Check in each day of this week’s U.S. Open for the unfiltered opinions of our writers and editors as they break down the hottest topic in the tournament, and join the conversation by tweeting us @GOLF_com. 

The 150th Open Championship begins on Thursday, and for the first time since May and the PGA Championship, we’ll see Tiger Woods. He’ll be playing his favorite course and at a place he’s won twice. But can Woods actually contend? What’s your prediction for him this week?

Sean Zak, senior editor (@sean_zak): He’s shown an impressive ability to make the cut this year, and I’d expect the same thing to happen this week. And a better finish on the weekend, too. But contention? Nah. T34.

James Colgan, assistant editor (@jamescolgan26): Agreed, Zak. I think it’s reasonable to expect Tiger’s best performance of 2022 this weekend. As for what that looks like? Sign me up for T8, and a whole lot of watery eyes when he crosses Swilcan on Sunday.

Alan Bastable, executive editor (@alan_bastable): His game can certainly contend — he’s still one of the planet’s best iron players, and with as fast and firm as Ye Olde Course is playing, Woods’ guile will put him in good stead. I do fear for his body, though. His ever-so-ginger dismount of the Swilcan Bridge the other night gave me pause. He looked sore and shaky. Still, Tiger gonna Tiger: solo 21st.

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Josh Sens, senior writer (@joshsens): The mind is still willing, which in Tiger’s case is plenty to make the cut. But I think we’d need more severe weather, and for Woods to get the good side of the draw on it, for him to come close to winning this thing. Without wild conditions, there are going to be too many big guns in the mix for Tiger to outfire them all.

Nick Piastowski, senior editor (@nickpia): I’ll go the optimistic route and say he finishes top 10. I’ve mentioned here it before, but I think that if Tiger is signing himself up to play, he’s believing that he can contend. And I like that confidence. 

Josh Berhow, managing editor (@Josh_Berhow): Given his play since his return, I just don’t see him having a great week here. I know he’s got great history, it’s an easier, flat (relatively speaking) walk for him, and that he’s been working up to this all year, but I just don’t see it — at least given all the evidence we have to look at. He won’t be in contention, and I’m not sure he makes the cut. I think he’ll miss it, barely.

Luke Kerr-Dineen, Game Improvement Editor (@lukekerrdineen):The funny thing about Tiger Woods, both this week and frankly every major he’s playing in, is that he’s facing the opposite problem to everyone else. Put him down the stretch with a few holes left, and that extra pressure will probably help him. He’s still Tiger Woods in the mind and heart, after all. He can still beat anyone. The problem is getting Tiger to that point, which I just can’t see happening. He’ll make the cut, then throw in one rusty round where he can’t get anything going and his body doesn’t feel great. Low end of the top 25 sounds about right.  

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