Golf legend Tiger Woods makes expected PGA Tour decision
Multiple PGA Tour winner Tiger Woods has opted against entering the flagship Players Championship next week at TPC Sawgrass.
Tiger Woods has not entered the 2025 Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass.
The 82-time PGA Tour winner was a doubt for the tournament next week given he recently admitted his heart wasn’t really into practicing.
Woods, 49, made that comment on Tuesday after his Jupiter Links GC were eliminated from TGL.
The field for flagship event on the PGA Tour event was confirmed on Friday evening.
Woods’ decision not to enter means it will be the sixth straight year that he has missed the Tour’s premiere event in Ponte Vedra Beach.
“This is the third time I’ve touched a club since my mom passed so I haven’t really gotten into it,” Woods told reporters earlier in the week when asked about his future schedule.
“My heart is really not into practicing right now. I’ve had so many other things to do with the Tour and trying to do other things.
“Once I start probably feeling a little bit better and start getting into it, I’ll start looking at the schedule.”
Woods’ mother Kultida died on 4 February. He was also referencing the fact he has been busy attending several policy board meetings to try and end the split in men’s pro golf.
Woods has not played a PGA Tour event since last July’s Open Championship at Royal Troon.
Last September, Woods underwent his sixth career back surgery.
He played alongside his teenage son Charlie at the annual parent/child PGA Tour event December and, at the turn of the year, indicated a desire to once again play a heavier schedule ahead of the majors.
Woods was in the field for the Genesis Invitational and planned to compete even after his mother passed away, but ultimately made the decision to withdraw.
This was the last year that Woods was exempt into the Players following his 2019 Masters victory.
It is unlikely that Woods will play now before the 2025 Masters.
There is one more PGA Tour in Florida, the Valspar Championship, and two more in the state of Texas before the first major of the year.
The 2025 Players Championship gets underway next Thursday.
Xander Schauffele admitted after the first round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational that he left it until the last minute to commit to the Players.
Schauffele made his return at Bay Hill following a rib injury.
As many as 48 players in the top 50 of the OWGR are playing at TPC Sawgrass.
