ONE LAST NIGHT ON THE TROON
Tiger admits Open will be his final outing of 2024 after Pinehurst KO
TIGER WOODS has confirmed next month’s Open at Royal Troon will be his last competitive appearance in 2024.
The 15-time Major champion missed the cut at the US Open on Friday night as he continues to struggle after a series of serious injuries.
Heading into the second round at four-over, Woods failed to get any breaks around the unforgiving Pinehurst No. 2.
The American carded a 73 to add to his 74 and finish on seven over to miss the cut for a second successive Major.
Despite his struggles, Scottish fans will still get to see legend Woods in action when he heads to Royal Troon next month.
But even if Tiger upsets the odds and gets his hands on the Claret Jug for a fourth time, he plans to put the clubs away for the year as a pro.
He said: “I’ve only got one more tournament this season, so I’m not going to – I don’t think, even if I win the British Open, I don’t think I’ll be in the [FedEx Cup] Play-offs.
“Just one more event and then I’ll come back whenever I come back.”
Earlier this week, Woods warned that facing the infamous Pinehurst greens would be a “war of attrition”.
While he landed the first blow with a birdie to open his round on Thursday, any hopes of challenging faded.
One of the sport’s most revered figures, Woods battled to the end but couldn’t deliver on a sweltering Friday in North Carolina. “Well, it was probably the highest score I could have possibly shot today,” he admitted. “I hit a lot of good shots that just didn’t quite go my way, or I hit good putts.
“I thought I played well enough to be up there in contention. It just didn’t work out.”
Woods has missed the cut four times in his past five US Open starts after only missing it once in his first 16. But he showed fight, hitting 21 of 28 fairways and averaging 314.2 yards off the tee.
After navigating through 14 holes in two-over, Woods eyed a birdie on 15 to claw back to the projected cut line. Instead, his putt agonisingly lipped out.
“Yeah, 15 hurt,” Woods admitted. “That was a sweet little 7-iron in there and a good putt, high-side lip. If I make that putt, it flips the momentum, and I’m looking pretty good on the last three holes.
“Instead I’m on the wrong side of the cut line and having to do something good on the last three holes.”
While Woods missed out, Ryder Cup hero Francesco Molinari struck a sublime hole-in-one at his last hole to make the cut.
The 41-year-old Italian laced a 7-iron at the ninth and the crowd erupted when it dropped, leaving Molinari in sheer disbelief.
He said: “It looked on a great line the whole way, but what are the chances? I don’t even know what to say. It was just incredible.”
Until he tees it up for the last time, Woods’ future will always be a topic of conversation.
He remained vague as he said: “As far as my last Open or US Open, I don’t know. It may or may not be.”