The post LIV major champ earns surprise PGA Championship invite, Tiger and Phil out appeared first on Golf.

The post LIV major champ earns surprise PGA Championship invite, Tiger and Phil out appeared first on Golf.

For many years, Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson had been fixtures in major championships. However, only one of them will be teeing it up at next week’s 2026 PGA Championship at Aronimink. And he happens to be the only player among them who was not previously eligible for the second major of the year.

On Tuesday, the PGA of America revealed the 2026 PGA Championship field list, which included a special invitation for Johnson. The list did not include Tiger’s name, and Mickelson’s name disappeared shortly thereafter.

Here’s what you need to know.

Dustin Johnson gets special invitation to 2026 PGA Championship

Johnson is a two-time major winner and was perennially ranked inside the top 10 in the Official World Golf Ranking during his prime. As a result, he’s been automatically qualified for every major since 2009. That is, until the 2026 PGA Championship.

Now 41, Johnson plays with LIV Golf, which he joined as part of an early wave of players in 2022. His play has fallen off in recent years, and, for the first time, his major eligibility is at risk.

Thanks to his 2020 Masters win, Johnson will always get an invite to Augusta every April, but his exemptions into other majors for that win have expired. Furthermore, his 10-year U.S. Open exemption for winning the event in 2016 expires after this year.

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PGA Tour's sponsor invites are controversial. Here are the results

By: Sean Zak

With his world ranking down to No. 468 as of Monday, May 4, Johnson is no longer eligible for the PGA Championship or the Open Championship, and he’ll lose eligibility for the U.S. Open in 2027.

But on Tuesday, the PGA of America unveiled its early field list for next week’s event outside Philadelphia, and Johnson was among those players receiving a special exemption.

Johnson spoke to Golf Channel about his PGA invite.

“Very excited. I want to play in all the majors. I feel like my game is still good enough to compete with everyone and still can win,” Johnson said. “The PGA was nice enough to give me an invitation. So yeah, I’m very, very happy and thankful for that.”

The PGA of America also extended special invitations to Keith Mitchell, Billy Horschel, Andy Sullivan, Angel Ayora and Chandler Blanchet.

In all, the PGA field list features 154 players. But two additional competitors could be added should the winners of this week’s Truist Championship and Myrtle Beach Classic not already be qualified.

Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson will not play PGA Championship

As past PGA champions, Woods and Mickelson were both eligible for this year’s PGA Championship, which kicks off May 14. Mickelson was even included in the field when the PGA of America initially released it.

But later on Tuesday, the PGA announced that Mickelson had “withdrawn from the 2026 PGA Championship field due to a personal health matter with his family.” The same unspecified family health matter kept Mickelson out of the 2026 Masters and has prevented him from playing in any LIV Golf events this season.

News

Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson’s Ryder Cup captaincy absences loom large

By: Michael Bamberger

Mickelson’s greatest PGA moment occurred not that long ago. In 2021, Mickelson shocked the world by winning the PGA Championship at Kiawah Island’s Ocean Course. With the victory, his sixth major title, Mickelson became the oldest major champion in history at 50 years old. One year later, he joined LIV Golf.

The PGA announced that Max Homa would replace Mickelson in the field for this year’s PGA.

Woods’ absence from the PGA Championship field is less of a surprise. While he was rumored to be planning a return from injury at the 2026 Masters, his car crash and ensuing DUI charge in late March ended those plans.

On March 31, Woods announced he was “stepping away” from his career to “seek treatment” and focus on his health. He left no timetable for his potential return.

You can see the full 2026 PGA Championship field as it stands now below.

2026 PGA Championship field (as of 5/6/26)

Åberg, Ludvig – SWEDEN
Ayora, Angel – SPAIN
Berg, Derek – Duvall, WA*
Berger, Daniel – Jupiter, FL
Bezuidenhout, Christiaan – SOUTH AFRICA
Bhatia, Akshay – Jupiter, FL
Bide, Francisco – ARGENTINA*
Blanchet, Chandler – Jacksonville, FL
Block, Michael – Mission Viejo, CA*
Bradley, Keegan – Woodstock, VT
Brennan, Michael – Leesburg, VA
Bridgeman, Jacob – Simpsonville, SC
Brown, Daniel – ENGLAND
Burns, Sam – Shreveport, LA
Campbell, Brian – Irvine, CA
Cantlay, Patrick – Jupiter, FL
Castillo, Ricky – Yorba Linda, CA
Cauley, Bud – Palm Beach Gardens, FL
Cink, Stewart – Atlanta, GA
Clark, Wyndham – Denver, CO
Collet, Tyler – Vero Beach, FL*
Conners, Corey – CANADA
Coody, Pierceson – Plano, TX
Day, Jason – AUSTRALIA
DeChambeau, Bryson – Dallas, TX
Detry, Thomas – BELGIUM
Donald, Luke – ENGLAND
Droemer, Jesse – Houston, TX*
Dufner, Jason – Auburn, AL
Echavarria, Nico – COLOMBIA
English, Harris – Sea Island, GA
Fisher, Bryce – Oregon City, OR*
Fisk, Steven – Sea Island, GA
Fitzpatrick, Alex – ENGLAND
Fitzpatrick, Matthew – ENGLAND
Fleetwood, Tommy – ENGLAND
Fox, Ryan – NEW ZEALAND
Fowler, Rickie – Murrieta, CA
Gabriele, Chris – Huntington, NY*
Geddes, Mark – ENGLAND*
Gerard, Ryan – Raleigh, NC
Glover, Lucas – Jupiter, FL
Gotterup, Chris – Little Silver, NJ
Griffin, Ben – Chapel Hill, NC
Grillo, Emiliano – ARGENTINA
Greyserman, Max – Short Hills, NJ
Gumberg, Jordan – Delray Beach, FL
Hall, Harry – ENGLAND
Harman, Brian – Sea Island, GA
Harrington, Pádraig – IRELAND
Hatton, Tyrrell – ENGLAND
Haynes, Zach – Bowling Green, KY*
Henley, Russell – Columbus, GA
Higa, Kazuki – JAPAN
Higgo, Garrick – SOUTH AFRICA
Highsmith, Joe – Lakewood, WA
Hillier, Daniel – NEW ZEALAND
Hisatsune, Ryo – JAPAN
Hoey, Rico – PHILIPPINES
Højgaard, Nicolai – DENMARK
Højgaard, Rasmus – DENMARK
Holt, Ian – Stow, OH
Homa, Max – Scottsdale, AZ
Horschel, Billy – Ponte Vedra Beach, FL
Hovland, Viktor – NORWAY
Hurt, Austin – Bainbridge Island, WA*
Im, Sungjae – REPUBLIC OF KOREA
Jaeger, Stephan – GERMANY
Jarvis, Casey – SOUTH AFRICA
Johnson, Dustin – Jupiter, FL
Jones, Jared – Dublin, OH*
Kaneko, Kota – JAPAN
Katrude, Michael – West Palm Beach, FL*
Kaymer, Martin – GERMANY
Keefer, John – San Antonio, TX
Kern, Ben – Grove City, OH*
Kim, Michael – Dallas, TX
Kim, Si Woo – REPUBLIC OF KOREA
Kirk, Chris – Watkinsville, GA
Kitayama, Kurt – Chico, CA
Knapp, Jake – Scottsdale, AZ
Koepka, Brooks – West Palm Beach, FL
Lee, Min Woo – AUSTRALIA
Lenahan, Ryan – New Hudson, MI*
Li, Haotong – PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA
Lindberg, Mikael – SWEDEN
Lipsky, David – Las Vegas, NV
Lowry, Shane – IRELAND
MacIntyre, Robert – SCOTLAND
Matsuyama, Hideki – JAPAN
McCarthy, Denny – Jupiter, FL
McCarty, Matt – Scottsdale, AZ
McClure, Paul – Mobile, AL*
McGreevy, Max – Edmond, OK
McIlroy, Rory – NORTHERN IRELAND
McKibbin, Tom – NORTHERN IRELAND
McNealy, Maverick – Las Vegas, NV
Micheel, Shaun – Collierville, TN
Mitchell, Keith – Sea Island, GA
Morikawa, Collin – La Canada, CA
Mouw, William – Chino Hills, CA
Neergaard-Petersen, Rasmus – DENMARK
Niemann, Joaquin – CHILE
Noren, Alex – SWEDEN
Novak, Andrew – Sea Island, GA
Parry, John – ENGLAND
Pendrith, Taylor – CANADA
Penge, Marco – ENGLAND
Polland, Ben – Wilson, WY*
Poston, J.T. – Sea Island, GA
Potgieter, Aldrich – SOUTH AFRICA
Puig, David – SPAIN
Putnam, Andrew – Lakewood, WA
Rahm, Jon – SPAIN
Rai, Aaron – ENGLAND
Reed, Patrick – The Woodlands, TX
Reitan, Kristoffer – NORWAY
Rodgers, Patrick – Avon, IN
Rose, Justin – ENGLAND
Riley, Davis – Hattiesburg, MS
Saddier, Adrien – FRANCE
Sapp, Garrett – Cypress, CA*
Schaper, Jayden – SOUTH AFRICA
Schauffele, Xander – San Diego, CA
Scheffler, Scottie – Dallas, TX
Schenk, Adam – Vincennes, IN
Schmid, Matti – GERMANY
Scott, Adam – AUSTRALIA
Shattuck, Braden – Aston, PA*
Smalley, Alex – Greensboro, NC
Smith, Cameron – AUSTRALIA
Smith, Jordan – ENGLAND
Smotherman, Austin – Dallas, TX
Smylie, Elvis – AUSTRALIA
Smyth, Travis – AUSTRALIA
Spaun, J.J. – Los Angeles, CA
Spieth, Jordan – Dallas, TX
Stevens, Sam – Wichita, KS
Straka, Sepp – AUSTRIA
Sullivan, Andy – ENGLAND
Taylor, Nick – CANADA
Theegala, Sahith – Chino Hills, CA
Thomas, Justin – Jupiter, FL
Thorbjornsen, Michael – Wellesley, MA
Valimaki, Sami – FINLAND
Vegas, Jhonattan – VENEZUELA
Vermeer, Ryan – Elkhorn, NE*
Walker, Jimmy – San Antonio, TX
Wallace, Matt – ENGLAND
Wiesberger, Bernd – AUSTRIA
Wiseman, Timothy – New Albany, IN*
Woodland, Gary – Topeka, KS
Yang, Y.E. – REPUBLIC OF KOREA
Young, Cameron – Palm Beach Gardens, FL

2026 PGA Championship alternates

1. Yellamaraju, Sudarshan – CANADA
2. Hoge, Tom – Fargo, ND
3. Yu, Kevin – CHINESE TAIPEI
4. Meissner, Mac – Dallas, TX
5. Finau, Tony – Lehi, UT
6. Roy, Kevin – Lakewood Ranch, FL
7. Thompson, Davis – Sea Island, GA

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The post Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson’s Ryder Cup captaincy absences loom large appeared first on Golf.

The post Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson’s Ryder Cup captaincy absences loom large appeared first on Golf.

Jim Furyk is a curious choice, as a back-up choice and second-chance captain of next year’s U.S. Ryder Cup team. If the PGA of America, in consultation with its Ryder Cup committee, wanted to go down the been-there, done-that road, why not just bring back last year’s model, Keegan Bradley, fresh off his Lessons Learned Tour? Yes, Europe won that event, 15-13. But being a winner was not a prerequisite for the job, and Bradley’s 11 players had some rally-cap Sunday.

The team Furyk captained in 2018, in France, appeared to be sleep-walking through all three days of the event, losing 17.5 to 10.5. The American golfer Tiger Woods appeared to be sleep-sitting through Team USA’s au revoir press conference Sunday night. Woods hasn’t been in a Ryder Cup uniform since then, not in a playing role, not in a managing role, not in any role except sideline whisperer.

Woods was always a Furyk guy. He related to him, grinder to grinder. Bradley was a Phil Mickelson acolyte.

The elephant in the room here is the absence of Woods and Mickelson as Ryder Cup captains, at least for now and maybe forever. The two dominant figures of American golf over the past 30 years, with 127 PGA Tour wins between them, including six PGA Championships, nowhere to be seen. There is no faster summary of the costs of their off-course lives, than that, that neither of these titans of the game is in the Ryder Cup conversation.

Woods, without saying a word, has shown himself to be an irresponsible driver with deep levels of trauma in his life. Mickelson, using a torrent of words, turned his back on his home tour, costing it incalculable damage. Even in this age of metrics, there is no device that could measure the weirdness, or the void.

Once upon a time, it was easy to imagine Mickelson captaining the 2023 team in Italy and the 2025 team at Bethpage Black, and Woods managing the 2027 team in Ireland and the 2029 team at Hazeltine. Maybe it was all a pandemic fever dream. It seems, like the pandemic itself, forever ago.

So, just to put it in one place, here are your six recent-vintage U.S. Ryder Cup captains, plus the next one:

*2018, France, Jim Furyk;

*2021, Whistling Straits, Steve Stricker;

*2023, Italy, Zach Johnson;

*2025, Bethpage Black, Keegan Bradley;

*2027, Ireland, Jim Furyk.

Talk about tried-and-true. Four-for-five, right there. (No one saw Bradley coming, not at 39.) Once upon a time, Arnold Palmer, at age 34, was given the Ryder Cup reins, but that was then (1963). On this list, Steve Stricker is the outlier: He had never won a major! But he was a native son of Wisconsin. Stricker was too modest and too honest to claim any particular role in the U.S. victory in Kohler, Wisc. “Brooks and Bryson wanted to play together — that’s how much [this team] came together,” he said when it was all over. Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau. They may be frenemies now, but they weren’t then. Stricker did what any good manager, in any field, does: get his players in a place where they can do the thing they do, play golf at a high level. It’s not that complicated, despite the extreme efforts to make it seem so.

News

Is Jim Furyk the right pick as Ryder Cup captain? Our writers discuss

By: Sean Zak, James Colgan, Dylan Dethier

Broadly speaking, the PGA of America is in a tough spot. Waiting on Tiger, waiting and waiting for him to make a decision, didn’t help. The organization still must deal with the worst aspects of last year’s Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black on Long Island, where the PGA of America failed in its ultimate responsibilities, to provide a safe and appropriate atmosphere for spectators and to be a welcoming and gracious host to our European visitors.

The PGA Championship at Aronimink next month, on the far outskirts of Philadelphia, will be a major test, but also an opportunity, for an organization in a state of tumult. Four CEOs in an eight-year period, for one thing. The audacious move from Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., to Frisco, Texas, outside Dallas, for another. That has been a hard sell all the way around. Future PGA Championships are scheduled for the largely untested new course there, one owned and operated by the PGA of America. The unspoken goal is obvious: make more money. Never an inspiring comment for any true sports fan to hear. The greatness of the Ryder Cup is that it became a money-maker by accident. It became a phenomenon by way of Seve Ballesteros and Jose-Maria Olazabal, Paul Azinger and Payne Stewart, Paul McGinley and Ian Poulter, even Patrick Reed and Bryson DeChambeau. It became the Ryder Cup by dint of personality and the quality of the play, coupled with some exquisite American stages. Here’s looking at you, Oak Hill in early fall, in Rochester, N.Y.

The captain’s job, when you really get it to its essence, is to fill out a lineup card, help set the mood, engage the public. With Jim Furyk, who turns 56 next month, we know what we’re getting. His whole golfing life is rooted in relentless consistency, and it has served him well. DeChambeau, who is 32, would have been a wildcard as a Ryder Cup captain, and a wild choice. But if recent history on this narrow subject has shown us anything, don’t postpone joy. Do not postpone joy when picking Ryder Cup captains. The committee waited too long on Tiger and Lefty. Elvis has left the building. Tiger has, too.

Michael Bamberger welcomes your comments at Michael.Bamberger@Golf.com

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The new Sun Day Red “Spring Traditions” collection is packed with nods to Tiger Woods’ legacy used at Augusta National. There’s a commemorative staff bad, Sunday bag, headcovers, T-shirts, polos, hoodies and more. Let’s check it out.

Pioneer Willow LE Golf Shoes

I didn’t get a chance to check out the Pioneer Willow golf spikes when they came out, but it looks like I’ve now doubled up on my Sun Day Red swag with a pair of the limited edition Pioneer Willow golf spikes. They’ve opted to highlight the Yellow Jasmine over the Azalea, which I actually love. I think the Azalea, although classic, can get a bit overplayed.

The Sun Day Red Pioneer Willows come stock with Softspikes Pulsar spikes, which are a favorite of Woods. The soles are covered with Yellow Jasmine flowers surrounding nine Fast Twist 3.0 spike insertion points. I’ve worn the original Pioneer Cypress on the course a bunch and this pattern is very stable. Having four spikes in the heel allows for a good weight shift, and making sure that a toe spike is included is always a benefit. That’s your last line of defense from slipping backwards in your golf swing.

Sun Day Red Pioneer Willow LE

Welcome to Spring Traditions. The Pioneer Willow arrives at one of golf’s most celebrated moments, dressed for the occasion. Where performance meets the season’s finest expression of style.

$275 from Sun Day Red

The outsole is decorated in a speckle pattern with yellow and green color splashes and specks, and the entire shoe is trimmed out in a very “Augusta” green way. Red accents are highlighted throughout the shoe — mainly in the logos — with a hint of red in the eyelets at the top of the shoe as well.

Also included in the box are the massaging insoles with the option to swap out the stock ones if you wish. I love them. Walking in the shoes makes a huge difference and it was a deciding factor in if I was going to keep my Pioneer Cypress in the playing rotation or not.

My first experience with the Sun Day Red apparel

Along with the shoes, Sun Day Red sent over a few of the polos from the collection as well as a hoodie and a hat. The hat is a pretty standard adjustable 6-panel cap with the Sun Day Red logo in a nice PVC patch on the front.

I also received both “The Legend” and “Crosswind” polos. “The Legend” is a nod to Tiger’s 1991 gem of an outfit with a 3-color horizontal block pattern in green, navy and rose colors. The “Crosswind,” which I received in their rose color, is meant to help reduce heat with a moisture wicking fabric that’s also super breathable. Both polos are really comfortable and provide enough room within the size to fit before and after lunch, and they’re a nice weight. Not too heavy that it feels like its weighing you down, but not too light that it feels uncomfortable to move in. The polos also feature a nice level of stretch. Not so much that the polo starts really tight and hugs you (which is a problem I have with others), but enough that you can tell the stretch wasn’t designed for fit, it was designed for movement. Taking golf swings in either polo doesn’t create an discomfort.

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Buy at Sun Day Red

I have to say, the “Icon Chain Stitch” hoodie is pretty cool. They really nailed the details. The large Sun Day Red logo mark on the chest is embroidered in a really cool gold colorway that stands out against the Deep Forest color that I was sent, along with a subtle gold Sun Day Red word mark on the hoodie and they’ve added gold metal aglets to the end of the hoodie laces for a little bit of extra bling. They describe this as a mid-weight hoodie. It feels nice and solid on the body, but with a bit of room and comfort to move around as well. If I were to throw this over one of the polos on a cold spring day here in Chicago, I could easily take this out on the golf course with me.

If you’re interested in shopping the entire collection which includes more accessories, colors, and other apparel you can visit the collection page on Sun Day Red’s website.

Sun Day Red Icon Chain Stitch Hoodie

A new icon, introducing our incredibly soft, midweight hoodie, engineered for versatility across a range of activities, both on and off course.

$160 from Sun Day Red

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The post ‘I’d tell him I love him’: Fred Couples reflects on Tiger Woods’ struggles appeared first on Golf.

The post ‘I’d tell him I love him’: Fred Couples reflects on Tiger Woods’ struggles appeared first on Golf.

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Fred Couples knows something about pain. For nearly half of his 66 years he has battled debilitating back issues that at the Masters two years ago had him in such acute discomfort when hitting short irons that he warmed up with only his driver and 3-wood. In the first round, Couples was so miserable that he wanted to quit but resisted only because he didn’t want to throw his playing partners out of sync.

Tiger Woods, you’ve probably heard, also knows something about pain. No one can say with certainty exactly how many surgeries Woods has had in his professional career (somewhere between “a lot” and “a whole lot”), but we do know the most recent of his seven known back procedures came in October to treat a collapsed disc and compromised spinal canal.

When Woods was arrested for suspicion of DUI on March 27, he told police that he had taken prescription pain medication earlier in the day; police also found opioid pills in Woods’s pocket. On March 31, Woods said in a statement that he was stepping away from the game “to seek treatment and focus on my health” as he works “toward lasting recovery.” A day later, a Florida judge approved Woods’s request to travel overseas for “comprehensive inpatient treatment.” 

Chronic pain isn’t the only thing Couples and Woods have in common. They share a bond that dates to the 1997 Ryder Cup when Couples first took Woods under his wing. In the years since, Woods and Couples became Masters practice-round partners, dinner mates and text buddies. They even shared a caddie; Couples’ former looper, Joe LaCava, went on to spend a dozen years on Woods’s bag. In 2022, Woods referred to Couples as “my dad on Tour.”

So, when Couples wrapped his Monday practice round here at the 90th playing of the Masters Tournament, Woods — and his struggles — was a natural talking point. Couples had seen the unconfirmed reports that a private jet belonging to Woods was spotted in Switzerland but sounded uncertain of Woods’s whereabouts. “If he’s in Switzerland,” Couples told reporters, “he must be at a spot that’s going to help him and that’s the key thing.”

Couples said he texted Woods a few days after Woods’s car accident and subsequent arrest but didn’t feel like it was his place to pry for information. “For me now to get involved with this would not make much sense,” Couples said. “Doesn’t mean I’m not paying attention.”

Couples isn’t alone in that sense. Woods, who won his fifth Masters title in 2019, has played such an outsized role in the last 30 years of this annual rite of spring that it’s hard not think about him when you stroll this storied property. Bubba Watson, who has two green jackets of his own, said Monday he “always” pulls for Woods. “I told him from day one that we started hanging out back in ’06, ’07, somewhere in there, that I’m pulling for him as a human being,” Watson said. “Forget his golf, I could care less about his golf.”

News

Tiger Woods’s fiercest opponent is Tiger Woods himself

By: Michael Bamberger

Jason Day, who is playing in his 14th Masters and, like Woods, has battled back injuries, also was asked to reflect on Woods’s situation. “He’s not immune to [addiction] just because he can hit a golf ball really well,” Day said. “When you’re going through that many procedures, it’s painful coming out of those procedures. I’ve had procedures done and I typically try and stay away from all that stuff because I just know that —— painkillers, there can potentially be a downfall to it.”

The severity of Couples’ back pain has ebbed and flowed, but when it has been at its most persistent, he said Monday, it has affected his mood. “I used to snap at everyone,” Couples said. “Felt like someone was tapping me on the back all day long. After eight to 10 hours, you just can’t take it. It’s like a toothache.”

The pain became so bad in 2011 that Couples couldn’t sleep and reportedly was whispering to friends that he might be done with competitive golf. Drastic times called for . . . a trip to Dusseldorf, Germany, where Couples underwent a treatment called Orthokine therapy, which involves doctors creating an anti-inflammatory serum with the patient’s own blood. The procedure brought Couples relief — for a while, anyway. “I am sleeping,” he said a few months later. But the thing with chronic pain is it’s chronic. All you can do is manage it the best you can. Enjoy the more comfortable moments. Endure the uncomfortable ones.

Couples was asked Monday what he’d tell Woods if he could offer his old friend a word of counsel.

“I’d tell him I love him,” Couples said, “and things can always get better.”

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The post Is Tiger Woods playing the 2026 Masters? appeared first on Golf.

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Tiger Woods’ return to Augusta National will have to wait until 2027.

Following a two-car crash last Friday that led to his DUI arrest, Woods announced that he was “stepping away” to seek treatment and “focus on his health.”

“I know and understand the seriousness of the situation I find myself in today,” Woods said in a statement released on X. “I am stepping away for a period of time to seek treatment and focus on my health. This is necessary in order for me to prioritize my well-being and work toward lasting recovery. 

“I’m committed to taking the time needed to return in a healthier, stronger and more focused place, both personally and professionally. I appreciate your understanding and support, and ask for privacy for my family, loved ones and myself at this time.”

Prior to the crash and subsequent DUI arrest, Woods had been ramping up his rehab from October back surgery in hopes of teeing it up at Augusta National this week. The 15-time major champion recently made his TGL season debut in Jupiter Links’ championship loss to Los Angeles Golf Club and said he had been pushing as hard as possible to get his body ready.

“As I said, I’ve been trying,” Woods said after his TGL debut about playing the Masters. “Just this body is — it doesn’t recover like it did when it was 24, 25. It doesn’t mean I’m not trying. I’ve been trying for a while. I’ve had a couple bad injuries here over the past years that I’ve had to fight through and it’s taken some time. I keep trying. I want to play. I love the tournament. I’ve loved being there since I was 19 years old. It’s meant a lot to me and my family over the years. I’m going to be there either way with The Loop that’s going up there, as well as the Champions Dinner.”

News

This Masters will be unlike any other Masters in recent memory

By: Michael Bamberger

Three days later, Woods crashed his car on a two-lane road in Jupiter, Fla. The crash came after Woods attempted to overtake a turning truck with a trailer attached. Woods flipped his Range Rover on its side after making contact with the trailer. When officers arrived on the scene, they observed Woods “sweating profusely” and appearing “lethargic and slow,” according to an affidavit obtained by GOLF. Woods was given a field sobriety test. He blew “.000” on the breathalyzer but refused to take a urine test. He was charged with Driving Under the Influence and pleaded not guilty.

After Woods’ announcement that he would be seeking treatment, Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley released a statement in support of the 82-time PGA Tour winner.

“Augusta National Golf Club and the Masters Tournament fully support Tiger Woods as he focuses on his well-being. Although Tiger will not be joining us in person next week, his presence will be felt her in Augusta.”

Woods did not play in last year’s Masters after rupturing his Achilles’ tendon in March. He has not played in a tournament since the 2024 Open Championship.

The 2026 Masters will be the first Masters without Woods or Phil Mickelson since 1994. Mickelson announced last Thursday that he would “be out for an extended period of time” as he and his family “work through a personal health matter.”

The 2026 Masters begins on Thursday, April 9.

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The post This Masters will be unlike any other Masters in recent memory appeared first on Golf.

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The Masters does the long game about as well as Warren Buffett. Over the past 70 years, it has produced four absolutely magnetic champions: Arnold Palmer, who won the tourney four times; Jack Nicklaus, with his six titles; Phil Mickelson, who has three victories at Augusta; and Tiger Woods, who won his fifth (and most recent) green jacket in 2019. This year, for the first time since 1954, none of those players is competing in the event.

This year, for the first time since 1994, neither Mickelson nor Woods are in the field.

Of that foursome, only one will be on hand, Big Jack his own self, playing the ceremonial first shot on Thursday morning, beside Tom Watson (two-time winner) and Gary Player (three coats).

So this will be different. These next 20 or 30 or 40 years at Augusta will be different, too.

Palmer and Nicklaus were so revered at Augusta National that they were invited to join the club as dues-paying members, the only former winners to get such an invitation. In other words, they could come to the club as they wished, play the course, bring guests, stay in the cabins, tour the wine cellar without a chaperone. Woods and Mickelson, like all former winners, were honorary members. They still needed a host to play the course. Palmer and Nicklaus had direct ties to the club’s most important figures through its history, including the club’s founders (Bob Jones, Clifford Roberts); various prominent members (Dwight D. Eisenhower, Warren Buffett); and former winners from near and far (Gene Sarazen, Seve Ballesteros). There are plaques on the course honoring Palmer and Nicklaus, with short histories of their Augusta highlights.

Maybe plaques are coming for Mickelson and Woods, and they certainly deserve them for their stirring play at Augusta from over the decades, but it’s not likely they are coming anytime soon.

In the long history of the Masters, Tiger Woods is the only player who ever received a public scolding from a club chairman. That happened at the 2010 Masters, when Woods returned to public life and tournament golf in the wake of a scandal that had private life splashed all over tabloids across the world. The chairman then, Billy Payne, reading from a prepared statement at a Wednesday State-of-the-Masters press conference, said that Woods “had disappointed all of us” and that he had failed as a role model. Woods had a T4 finish that year.

From 1995, when he played as an amateur, through 2013, Woods played in every Masters. (It was in 2013 when he was given a two-shot penalty for taking an incorrect drop on the 15th hole of his Friday round. He had a T4 finish.) Woods didn’t play in 2014 while recovering from a back surgery. He didn’t play in 2016, following another back surgery. He didn’t play in 2017, reportedly for back issues. He didn’t play in 2021, following a harrowing Los Angeles car crash. He didn’t play last year, following surgery for a torn ruptured left-leg Achilles. Woods is not playing this year, following his March 27 DUI arrest in South Florida, near his Jupiter Island home.

Palmer played in 50 consecutive Masters tournaments, none as an amateur. Woods played in 19 straight from 1995 to 2013, including two as an amateur. Nicklaus played in 46 consecutive Masters tournaments, starting with three as an amateur. Mickelson played in the 1991 and ’93 Masters as an amateur, sat out ’94, then played in 27 consecutive events as a pro, from 1995 through 2021. Mickelson didn’t play in 2022 Masters, the year it was revealed that he was leaving his lifelong professional home, the PGA Tour, to join the global, Saudi-backed pro series, LIV Golf. There was an uproar then and Mickelson took a leave from the tournament play and public life for several months.

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“The past 10 years I have felt the pressure and stress slowly affecting me at a deeper level,” he said in statement then. “I know I have not been my best and desperately need some time away to prioritize the ones I love most and work on being the man I want to be.” Fred Ridley said at the 2022 Masters that the club did not “disinvite” Mickelson from the tournament. But it was an open secret in certain circles that Mickelson was not playing by mutual agreement. He was the reigning PGA champion then, which he had won at age 50. With the club’s encouragement, he likely would have played. In 2023, Mickelson returned to the tournament, was unusually quiet at the dinner and finished in a tie for second.

Mickelson is not playing this year. In a statement on Thursday, he said, “Unfortunately, I will not play in the Masters tournament next week and will be out for an extended period of time as my family continues to navigate a personal health matter. I wish everyone the best of luck and will be watching.”

Ridley responded with this statement: “We know how much Phil loves the Masters tournament, and he will be missed by everyone in Augusta next week. He has our complete supports as he takes time to be with his family.”

When Woods won the Masters in 2019, at age 43, his life seemed to be in such a good place, given where he was after his 2017 arrest and his years of back issues, along with other body parts. When Mickelson won the PGA Championship at Kiawah Island, becoming the oldest winner of a major, he seemed destined to become the closest thing golf had to a next Arnold Palmer. Both were guaranteed to become Ryder Cup captains, to be competitive in U.S. Senior Opens and other stately senior events and to enjoy the kind of adulation that Nicklaus and Palmer enjoyed for decades after their playing careers wrapped up. There’s no sign of that for now.

Michael Bamberger welcomes your comments at Michael.Bamberger@Golf.com

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The post Masters legend blasts Tiger Woods over crash, calls PGA Tour ‘weak’ appeared first on Golf.

As part of the fallout from Tiger Woods’ rollover car crash, the five-time Masters winner will not play the 2026 Masters next week. While many observers and golf organizations have expressed their support for Woods, one Masters legend and former Masters TV analyst is taking a much different tack.

Three-time Masters champion Nick Faldo unloaded on Woods, criticizing him for the car crash for which he was charged with DUI on a recent media call.

But he didn’t stop there. Faldo also went off on the PGA Tour for not holding Tiger accountable for his actions.

Nick Faldo criticizes Tiger Woods: ‘There has to be some accountability’

For much of this year, the golf world waited to hear whether or not Woods would make his return at the 2026 Masters. But now we know the answer.

On March 27, Woods was involved in a rollover crash near his Florida home and arrested and charged with DUI. Woods has pled not guilty to the charges.

Days after, Tiger announced he would be “stepping away” to seek treatment. The PGA Tour and Masters announced their support for Woods and praised him for his difficult decision.

But Faldo sees the situation differently. In a media call this week reported by The Independent and The Times, among other outlets, Faldo criticized both Woods and organizations that offered their support to the 15-time major winner.

He called the PGA Tour’s reaction “predictably weak.”

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Tiger Woods’ arrest videos add eerie vividness to moments after crash

By: Alan Bastable

“There’s one side that’s like, ‘let’s care for Tiger’… there’s got to be a responsibility and accountability side as well,” Faldo said. “This is a serious thing he’s done, you know. The PGA Tour statement was so predictably weak, how they showed that the Tour will look after him, as they always have done, and then you’ve got Jack [Nicklaus] saying it’s tarnished the entire sport. You’ve got your opposites but there has to be some accountability.”

He continued: “Our sport is based on discipline. You rule yourself, you police yourself. I would have thought the PGA Tour — behind closed doors — must be very disappointed that they pay Tiger tens of millions to be on the course and off the course with this business role he has got.”

He saved some of his harshest criticism for Tiger himself and argued this was a “serious issue.”

“As a person, you know, look at his community. We’re not meant to be on the streets with two pills in our pocket,” Faldo said. “I think the world is divided quite a bit, but the bottom line is, I really think that something… this is a serious issue.”

He expressed sympathy for the fact that Woods is living in pain but also argued his injuries have been “self-inflicted.”

“I feel sorry for Tiger because he’s living in 24-7 pain. I asked him that years ago, even before the L.A. accident [in 2021], but it’s all been self-inflicted,” Faldo said.

“The bottom line is I really think that something should be done a little bit more serious than waving him off to a tropical island and saying ‘Welcome back’ in three or four months.”

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'We support his decision': Tiger Woods turns down U.S. Ryder Cup captaincy, PGA says

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Faldo said he believes Woods will return in a few months without facing consequences, which he explained would never happen to someone charged with a DUI in other businesses.

“If you were done for DUI a couple of times in your business, what would happen to you?” Faldo said. “I got a feeling, as I said, if he disappears and comes back in a couple of months, everything will carry on as normal, and I’m not sure if that’s right, not a good message to the kids of today.”

Ultimately, Faldo said Woods has “avoided accountability” because of “who he is.”

“I don’t know what I’d ask the official bodies to decide, but you would have thought in a normal walk of life there is some accountability for doing that, isn’t there?” Faldo said. “I guess he’s always been a special case, because of who he is and what he’s done, so I suppose he’s avoided that accountability.”

Faldo, who retired as CBS’s lead analyst after the 2022 season, is currently recovering from open-heart surgery he underwent earlier this year.

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In the wake of Tiger Woods’ DUI arrest in South Florida last week, pundits and the public alike have expressed all kinds of emotions about the 15-time major winner’s actions. Anger is high on the list, because of Woods’ decision to yet again put lives at risk by getting behind the wheel in an allegedly impaired state. Empathy also has been expressed. Anyone who has had addiction in their lives knows the battles Woods has faced on the golf course pale next to what he has been fighting off of it.

On Thursday, the Records Unit of the Martin County Sheriff’s Office released body-camera footage of the arrest, giving any interested viewers a more vivid look at what happened in the moments after Woods flipped his Range Roger on a two-lane road in Jupiter on Friday afternoon. The footage is extensive and unsettling.

At 2:50 p.m. ET — this was about 50 minutes after the accident — an officer’s camera shows Woods at the end of a driveway. Woods is in an ocean-blue polo and shorts, and he has a compression sock over his right knee. He is on his phone.

“Mr. Woods!” the officer says, trying to get his attention.

As Woods approaches the officer, Woods ends his call and tells the officer, “I was just talking to the president.” It’s unclear whether Woods was referring to President Trump with whom he has a personal relationship. As Woods keeps walking and nears the end of the driveway, he is met by his longtime associate and friend, Rob McNamara.

Ten minutes later, at 3 p.m. ET, footage shows Woods seated on the push bumper of a patrol car. He is fielding questions from another officer, including whether he has had anything to drink earlier that day.

“None,” Woods says.

Officer: “Do you take any medications?”

Woods: “Yes, I take a few.”

Motrin, Woods says. Ibuprofen. Other parts of his response are redacted but police reported they found two pills of hydrocodone, a semi-synthetic opioid, in Woods’s pants pocket, a scene that comes to light later in the video.

Officer: “Did you take all of them today?”

Woods: “Yes.”

The officer then conducts a field sobriety test on Woods that is designed to detect involuntary eye jerking. Next comes a coordination test in which Woods extends his clenched fists, one on top of the other, in front of his chest.

By 3:11 p.m., the officer has made a determination. She asks Woods to face the hood of the car and put his hands behind his back.

As she applies handcuffs to Woods’ wrists, she says, “You’re under arrest for DUI.”

“You’re arresting me?” Woods says. He sounds incredulous.

“Yes, sir.”

Various cuts of the police footage have been shared by media outlets all over the world. Some show only the arrest; others include more mundane details, like police inspecting the trailer that Woods clipped and an unsuspecting cyclist approaching the scene to discover the road is blocked off. Throughout the arrest process, Woods is cordial and cooperative.

But he does not look well.

On Tuesday, Woods entered a not guilty plea to misdemeanor charges of DUI and refusal to submit to a lawful test. Later that day, he issued a statement that read: “I know and understand the seriousness of the situation I find myself in today. I am stepping away for a period of time to seek treatment and focus on my health. This is necessary in order for me to prioritize my well-being and work toward lasting recovery. I’m committed to taking the time needed to return to a healthier, stronger, and more focused place, both personally and professionally.”

On Wednesday, a Florida judge granted Woods permission to travel outside the U.S. to seek inpatient treatment. Woods’ attorney, Douglas Duncan, wrote in a court motion that his client required “intensive, highly individualized and medically integrated program.” The motion continued, “Ongoing medical scrutiny and public exposure create significant barriers to his care and would result in setbacks and an inability to fully engage in treatment.”

There is a chilling clip in the police footage that shows Woods cuffed in the back of a patrol car. Next stop: Martin County Jail. He has heavy eyes, persistent hiccups and a blanket over his shoulders. There is a moment when he grimaces, drops his head back onto the glass partition behind him and closes his eyes. We may never know what was running through Woods’ head in the cramped solitude of that back seat, but those images will endure.

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In the latest fallout from Tiger Woods’ car crash, the 15-time major champion will not be the U.S. captain for the 2027 Ryder Cup.

The PGA of America delivered the news via a statement on Wednesday, saying that Woods had “shared with us that he will not serve” as captain for the U.S. team next year.

The decision ends months of speculation over whether Tiger would finally take the reins of the U.S. Ryder Cup team. It also leaves the PGA of America and the U.S. team without a captain with only 18 months to go until the 2027 event in Ireland.

PGA: Tiger withdraws from Ryder Cup captain job for 2027

Not long after the European team completed their second-straight Ryder Cup victory over the U.S. team at Bethpage Black, one thing was clear, though unofficial.

If Tiger Woods wanted to be the U.S. captain at the 2027 Ryder Cup at Adare Manor, the job was his. Given his busy schedule and recovery from surgery, it was never a sure thing that Woods would take the job.

But with the event inching ever closer, a decision was expected soon. We may never know what Woods intended to do.

On Friday, March 27, Woods was involved in a rollover crash near his home in Jupiter, Fla., and arrested and charged with DUI. Woods later pled not guilty to the charges.

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Then on March 31, Woods announced he would be “stepping away” from golf and public life to “seek treatment and focus on my health.”

At that point, the Ryder Cup captaincy question was still up in the air, but the PGA of America provided us with an answer on Wednesday.

In a statement released on social media, the PGA of America confirmed Woods had decided not to take the U.S. Ryder Cup captain job.

“Tiger has shared with us that he will not serve as Captain of the 2027 U.S. Ryder Cup Team and we support his decision,” the statement read.

“The PGA of America stands in full support of Tiger Woods as he steps away to focus on his health and well-being. During this time, we are keeping Tiger in our thoughts and prayers, with sincere hope for his strength, comfort, and recovery. Tiger has meant so much to our Association and to the game of golf.”

The PGA also commended Woods “for prioritizing his long-term health” and said they “deeply respect the courage it takes to make such a personal decision.”

The recent car crash aside, this episode closely resembles the process the PGA underwent to choose the U.S. Ryder Cup captain for 2025. Woods was a top candidate for the job last year as well.

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Tiger Woods says he’s ‘stepping away’ to seek treatment after arrest 

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But in the end, Woods informed the PGA he would not accept the 2025 captaincy. Keegan Bradley took his spot.

In a statement read during the press conference announcing Bradley’s captaincy, Woods said, “With my new responsibilities to the [PGA] Tour and time commitments involved I felt I would not be able to commit the time to Team USA and the players required as a captain.”

He added, “That does not mean I wouldn’t want to captain a team in the future. If/when I feel it is the right time, I will put my hat in the ring for this committee to decide.”

Now we’ll have to wait another two years to find out if the 2029 Ryder Cup is the one where Woods finally serves as captain.

But now there’s a more pressing question. With Tiger out of the running, who will be the 2027 U.S. Ryder Cup captain? The captain crisis comes at a time when the Americans are desperate for some strong leadership. Fresh off an embarrassing defeat on U.S. soil, the team’s second-straight Ryder Cup loss, the U.S. needs a win. But they need a captain first.

The European team has no such problem. Luke Donald has already been announced as the European captain. He’s hard at work preparing to bring his team a third-straight victory in 2027.

You can read the PGA of America’s full statement below.

PGA of America full statement on Tiger Woods’ Ryder Cup captaincy

The PGA of America stands in full support of Tiger Woods as he steps away to focus on his health and well-being. During this time, we are keeping Tiger in our thoughts and prayers, with sincere hope for his strength, comfort, and recovery. Tiger has meant so much to our Association and to the game of golf. Since his Ryder Cup debut in 1997, he has been an enduring part of the PGA of America family. His connection to our PGA of America Golf Professionals, and his lasting impact on the sport, have inspired generations and profoundly shaped the game. We commend Tiger for prioritizing his long-term health and deeply respect the courage it takes to make such a personal decision. Tiger has shared with us that he will not serve as Captain of the 2027 U.S. Ryder Cup Team and we support his decision. The PGA of America will share further updates regarding the Ryder Cup captaincy when appropriate. – PGA of America

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We’re all rooting for Tiger Woods here, rooting for him to get his life, physical and psychic, in a better place. If this were Tiger v. Phil or Sergio or Chris DiMarco you might have a different rooting interest. This, of course, is not that. Tiger became Tiger by often defeating, though not always, Phil & Co. That was fun, that was sport, that was drive and execution as most of had never seen before. This is different. This is Tiger versus himself. Tiger versus the pain of life.

Woods is a 50-year-old athletic icon — a true icon in an age of hyped everything. He has two children with his ex-wife, who has three other children with her current partner. Tiger has a girlfriend with five children of her own. The girlfriend has a former father-in-law who is both the most powerful person in the world and the man who gave Woods his highest honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, after winning the 2019 Masters. Woods won 14 Grand Slam events in a 12-year span. Rory McIlroy and Justin Thomas and a host of others came of age in the decade-long wait between No. 14 and No. 15, the 2019 Masters.

Twenty-two months after that victory Woods drove off the side of a deserted Los Angeles County road early on a weekday morning, into a tree and nearly to his death. Don’t call it an accident — that would be an insult to the scores of people who did everything in their power to save his life. Don’t say that winning takes care of everything. The marketing people at Nike who trotted out that phrase in the wake of a long-ago Woods scandal were ultimately just trying to move product.

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Tiger Woods’s latest car accident leads back to same difficult conclusion

By: Michael Bamberger

The great tragedy of modern life is that everything has turned into a product. Golf is a product, per PGA Tour brass. Journalism is a product. Clicks are monetized. It’s deadening. Hogan, Palmer, Nicklaus and Watson were dominating golfers and unique personalities who captured our imaginations. But they weren’t products. Tiger Woods has been packaged and sold since he was 3. Woods knows his state of mind that morning in February 2021, when he was pulled out of another wrecked car. Cry for help is a hoary cliché but that crash had to be a cry for help. In the end, not a very loud one. His crash last week, a mile or so from his South Florida home may prove to be a louder one.

This time, his hand was forced, just as it was after his 2017 DUI arrest by police in Jupiter, Fla. In golf’s various and cloistered circles — on Golf Channel, on websites and in newsletters, in a release from the CEO of the PGA Tour — Woods’s statement on Monday was met with relief and admiration. He said he was “stepping away for a period of time to seek treatment and focus on my health.” You hope, of course, he can get the treatment he, by his own admission, needs. But there’s more going on here.

As this second DUI charge in Florida goes down its jurisprudence road, prosecutors were going to require that Woods seek treatment. Woods is trying to avoid a jail sentence here, of any length. He’s trying to avoid the spectacle of a public trial. There’s nothing for him to fight here. There are lawyers and advisors deep in his life. Signing up for treatment, on a voluntary basis, was a smart and necessary first step in an effort to keep a bad situation from getting worse.

Woods has been down the treatment road before. In early 2010, some weeks after running over a fire hydrant in the middle of the night outside his home in the Isleworth development near Orlando, Woods reportedly went to a residential treatment facility in Mississippi to deal with addiction issues. His 2017 plea required counseling as well. A statement is a statement. Last year, when Woods turned to X to announce his relationship with Vanessa Trump, he wrote, “Love is in the air and life is better with you by my side!” Please insert air quotes around wrote. Does that sound like Tiger Woods to you? Monday’s sober announcement has a completely different tone, of course. We don’t know anything about Tiger’s state of mind, and he doesn’t owe us that — or really anything.

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What he owes us is what every driver in the world owes every other driver and pedestrian and bicyclist and stray pet in the world, and that is alert, uncompromised driving. After his crash on Monday, you can see Woods in photographs on the side of the road, golf shirt neatly tucked in his shorts, glasses on, cellphone to his ear. In those grainy photos, he looks like what he’s looked like for, well, over many years now, iconic golfer on yet another comeback trail. Photos can fool you like statements can fool you.

Tiger has pain and sleep issues. He’s acknowledged that many times. As an athlete, his glory days are long behind him. He knows that, of course. He likes to say, “Father Time is undefeated.” People take pain meds because they are in pain. People drive while impaired because of some level of arrogance, along with self-absorption. People go to recovery to figure out some kind of path forward. Sometimes it works. Because we love golf, because we admire what Woods did as a golfer, Tiger’s issues are getting attention here. In every other regard, he’s another guy trying to figure it out. Except he has to do it with the whole world watching.

We don’t know who Tiger Woods was talking to on his cellphone, when he was on the side of the road Friday afternoon. The single most impressive thing he could have done that day is apologize to the person driving the truck that was pulling the pressure washer. Luckily, the driver wasn’t injured. But his day was turned upside-down, too.

Michael Bamberger welcomes your comments at Michael.Bamberger@Golf.com

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