Throughout Tiger Woods‘ life, numerous stories have become renowned in the golf world about his career. Woods started his professional journey in 1996 and now boasts over 25 years of experience in the field. While many stories about him circulate daily, are those the only ones? Certainly not! A recently surfaced, untold story about Woods involves a well-known SportsCenter commentator who unexpectedly crossed paths with the 15-time Major champion in an intriguing manner. In the Golf Channel’s Sub-par podcast on YouTube, Stanford Steve reminisced about his recruitment days.
He began by saying, “I tell this story. I go on my recruiting visit. It’s 1996. So you know who’s there?” In the process, he emphasized that he was seated at his table with 15 recruits, all waiting for the guest speaker. During this time, Steve’s recruiting coach indicated, “Oh, you’re at the head table with the head coach and the speaker.” Steve eagerly asked, “Who’s the speaker?” However, the coach didn’t spoil the excitement and advised him to wait.
As the dinner began, the speaker’s seat remained empty. Suddenly, “The door opens, Tiger walks in, sits down. I’m like, holy sh*t.” However, what unfolded next surprised Steve, as Woods took his seat and humorously revealed, “Bro, so sorry. I’m late. My roommates just finished building a computer.” At that moment, Steve made a decision and jokingly remarked, “Oh, there’s no way I’m coming here. Like, what the hell am I gonna do? I’m worried about passing my last English test I took in Connecticut.” Later on, the 82-time PGA Tour winner offered another apology, and afterward, they engaged in a heartwarming conversation. Stanford Steve still cherishes this overall kind gesture from Woods, which remains etched in his memory.
For those who are unaware, Steve later served as the captain of the Stanford men’s golf team and was reportedly recruited by Tiger Woods, who had a prosperous golf career while attending Stanford University. The GOAT attended Stanford University from 1994 to 1996, participating in NCAA golf for two seasons before departing college to pursue a professional career. Although it’s a fascinating story, this is not the first time an old acquaintance of the 15-time major winner has shared something. Woods’ longtime caddie, Joe LaCava, has also shared an intriguing tale in the past.
The narrative surrounding Tiger Woods’ 2019 Masters victory
At the 2019 Masters, during the 16th hole, the pro found himself in a tight spot. The ball was positioned very close, approximately two and a half feet from the hole, and Woods was contemplating his putting strategy. Despite the sense of desperation, the pro turned to his caddie and asked for assistance. Although it was a late request, LaCava didn’t hesitate to offer his help.
At that moment, he instinctively offered words of encouragement, saying, “Listen, pro. Knock this thing in the back of the hole.” Those few words provided significant assistance to Woods at that crucial moment. This incident subsequently became a cherished memory between the American golfer and his ex-caddie. These small moments from the GOAT’s life have had a modest impact on shaping the reputation he enjoys today.
LIV Golf and TGL seemed to be on a collision course. Both want to shape the future of the game. And both are trying to ‘grow the game.’ TGL has avoided a clash with the PGA Tour’s regular schedule. That hasn’t been the case for LIV Golf. Although both leagues are in talks to align their commercial interests, TGL might threaten LIV’s position in the current landscape.
Xander Schauffele believed the innovative, tech-infused league would be quick to find a base among young fans. Debuting on ESPN Primetime only aids the process. Explaining the aim of TGL, the 2024 PGA Championship winner said, “We are really trying to bring more eyeballs to golf. We are trying to grow the game.”
Schauffele indicated that TGL wants to bring in a much younger demographic with its innovative format. Three players from each team will tee off in the first session in a match-play format. The first nine holes will be played in an alternate shot format.
The next six holes will be singles among three players against three from the opponent. The first player will go up against the first player from the opponent team on holes 10 and 13, the second player on holes 11 and 14, and the third on holes 12 and 15. The team with the lowest score after 15 holes wins the match.
In cases of ties, a 3-vs-3 closest to the pin match will decide the result. Moreover, TGL will also have a shot timer to penalize golfers for slow play. Schauffele, who is part of Steve Cohen’s New York Golf Club, said, appearing in ESPN Sportscenter, “It’s a hi-tech platform that we are playing and it’s indoors; it’s much quicker; it should be more fan-friendly; it’s interactive.”
TGL was read as Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy’s answer to LIV Golf. Schauffele’s comments somewhat affirm that TGL will likely compete with the Greg Norman-fronted side despite the merger talks between the PGA Tour and PIF, the financial arm that powers LIV Golf.
‘Growing the game’ has been the stated aim of Greg Norman and his entourage of trusted soldiers. From Jon Rahm to Phil Mickelson, LIV Golfers have cited the PIF-funded side’s impact on the game as their main reason for switching to the other side. However, Schauffele’s comments reveal that TGL is set on the same course to attract a new demographic.
While LIV has changed the format—a 54-hole event, team play, and accompanying music on the course—TGL wants to leverage technology to take the game a bit further. Tiger Woods, the architect of the tech-infused league, has dubbed LIV Golf confusing. Whereas, with TGL, he wants to simplify the game and make it more exciting at the same time.
Interestingly, the 15-time Major champion was at the center of the discussion between the PIF governor, Yasir Al-Rumayyan, and the player-directors of the PGA Tour. Woods is also on the Transaction Committee, which will oversee the day-to-day activities regarding the negotiations. But it appears that even if a breakthrough is reached, TGL will continue to vie for the limelight, which might impact LIV’s fanbase in the States and perhaps globally.
The ‘Tiger Jam’ is slowly encroaching upon us. The unparalleled weekend in Vegas by the legend of the sport, Tiger Woods, is scheduled to kick off on May 31 and will see itself end on June 1. The event, filled with golf outings, poker night, and celebrations, seems to have hit the right mark in the community, reportedly making it one of the biggest editions ever.
The event has various packages that involve the user submitting 50% of the deposit online in a bid to reserve their spot. However, a week shy of the event, it appears as if there are only limited seats available for the different kinds of events as part of the Tiger Jam, due to which two of them have already been sold out.
For a guest at the ‘Ultimate Vegas Experience’, the user will be able to experience any one or all of the three subparts; Tiger Jam Golf Outing, Poker Night, and Tiger Jam reception, concert & Post-Party. Unfortunately, the first two have reportedly been sold out, as per the website, while the guest can still attend the third part of the event by buying the tickets via the website.
When it comes to attending as a guest, the event consists of five packages in total: the VIP Experience for $3000, the ultimate party package for $15000, the Premier Golf Experience for $17000, the Poker Experience for $11,000, and the Ultimate Golf Experience for $30, 000. The guest can pay for the same via a donation to the TGR Foundation through the official website.
The charity event hosted by Tiger Woods, thus, boasts such expensive rates for a luxurious experience. Even so, two out of the three subparts being sold out evidently make the ‘Tiger Jam’ a success a week before it even starts. It looks like the underprivileged will receive huge help this time around as well, all thanks to the 15-time major champ and DraftKings, among others.
This is not the first time that the legend will take himself off the greens to support the people in need of help. The two-day event was kicked off in a bid to create “a safe space for students to learn, grow, and chase after their dreams” and will blend live music, interactive golf exhibitions, and all-inclusive hospitality to create a luxurious and pleasant environment, all for the sake of charity
The guests will first be allowed to tee it up at Shadow Creek in the presence of “live music, lavish hospitality, special guests, and an interactive golf exhibition.” Following the same, Friday night will then kick off with a charity poker event in partnership with the World Poker Tour. The ‘must-attend event for poker enthusiasts’ provides a platform for them to all-in against professional poker players and celebrity guests.
The next night on Saturday will feature music, entertainment, and philanthropy as the Tiger Jam, hosted by Tiger Woods, showers the guests with “curated experiences, epicurean delights, and a charity auction.” The reception will be followed by a show by Maroon 5 at Dolby Live, where the festivities will reach its peak at the Tiger Jam Post-Party. It truly seems like an event to watch out for!
We’re halfway through the men’s Major season, so it’s time to digest what we’ve seen after Scottie Scheffler’s second Masters victory and Xander Schauffele’s maiden Major win.
Scheffler romped home at Augusta to claim his second Major title, shooting a final round 68 to finish four clear of the seriously impressive Ludvig Aberg in his Major debut. It was pretty much over after Scheffler birdied 13 and 14 on Sunday in what was the World No.1 stamping his authority on the sport.
It was his third triumph in four starts, and he would then go on to win the very next week at the RBC Heritage, too.
At the PGA Championship, Schauffele birdied the 72nd hole to pip Bryson DeChambeau in a record week of scoring as he finally secured a very well deserved first Major title. It was a much tighter affair, with Viktor Hovland also in the running late on, in what was a true birdie-fest Major.
There was a point last year – and earlier this year, when he successfully defended the Players Championship – that it was hard to believe he had only won one Major.
Now he’s won two, it still seems mad that he’s only a two-time Major champion. Scheffler went on a similar run in 2022, but it fizzled out in terms of wins. Yet, this year does seem like it could be different.
His ball striking is better (and better than anyone on the planet) and he finally has the putter behaving. He’s favorite to win the US Open next month, and many fans will expect him to be a three-time Major champion by the time the year’s up.
There’s no time for resting on his laurels, though, as he needs to make hay while the sun is shining and continue to eek the most out of this historic run as he possibly can. You never know when your game or confidence can leave you in this incredibly difficult and competitive sport.
Scheffler has truly pulled away from the pack over the last 12 months and I think we’re all half-expecting him to continue doing just that. Would he be disappointed with just one Major win this year? Of course not, but he will surely feel like he can pick off another one at Pinehurst or Royal Troon.
To be honest with you, he already was the second best player in the world in many aspects. He wasn’t getting over the line but in terms of strokes gained and the statistics, only Scheffler was better.
I think that’s fair to be an official take now – and he’s moved to No.2 in the OWGR now as well. Xander has elevated his game in such an impressive way this year to remain 2nd in Data Golf’s ranking with a strokes gained of +2.55 vs the average PGA Tour player (every single round).
His work with Chris Como is paying off and he’s gained 3mph clubhead speed this year, too, according to his PGA Tour stats. He’s noticeably driving the ball further and hitting those high 180s in terms of ball speed.
Had Valhalla been more of a ball-striking test, he may have separated himself from the field a little bit more. He’s got to be fancying his chances to pick off another Major over the next two months – and maybe even add another gold medal to his collection as well.
RORY
McIlroy’s Major drought continues despite admitting the stars could be aligning after his brilliant Wells Fargo Championship win two weeks ago – where he took down Schauffele in the final group.
Schauffele got the last (or most recent) laugh as McIlroy added a T12 at Valhalla to his T22 at Augusta in what can be described as a decent showing in the Majors so far this year.
He’s won three times in 2024 (Dubai Desert Classic, Zurich Classic, Wells Fargo Championship) so his game is clearly still there, he just needs things to go his way.
He rued a cold putter on Saturday at the PGA but finished strong on Sunday to almost crack the top-10. He’s clearly got a lot going on after filing for divorce and attempting to rejoin the PGA Tour’s board, but his play has been great so far this year.
The Northern Irishman is once again among the favorites for the US Open, and he will certainly be a factor at Pinehurst or Royal Troon over the next couple of months.
It’s going to be a huge moment when McIlroy wins his fifth Major, and it could still be right around the corner.
A DISAPPOINTING START FOR RAHM
Jon Rahm was seemingly the only story in December when he made the shock switch to LIV Golf after previously criticizing the league’s 54-hole, shotgun start format. Money was arguably the biggest factor, and it’s seen him become the highest paid golfer, according to Forbes, but he most certainly has not had a Major season to savor so far.
In LIV Golf, Rahm hasn’t finished outside of the top-10, but in the Majors this year he has a best finish of T45, which came in his title defense at The Masters.
He then missed the cut on the number at Valhalla following a torrid start to his opening round where he was four-over after six holes. It was his first missed cut in a Major since the 2019 PGA Championship.
Rahm said he was surprised with his game and blamed his driving. He’ll be hoping to put in some better showings at Pinehurst and Troon.
HOVLAND NOW BEST MALE GOLFER WITHOUT A MAJOR?
Now that Schauffele has ridden himself of the ‘best male golfer yet to win a Major’ tag, is the new man Viktor Hovland?
Hovland played incredibly well at Valhalla after returning to swing coach Joe Mayo following a poor start to the year that included a missed cut at Augusta.
He was right up there as one of the world’s top players last year, where he won the FedEx Cup and put in a stunning display at the Ryder Cup.
He has six PGA Tour wins, two DP World Tour wins and four top-seven finishes in his last seven Majors.
If it’s not him, the other contenders for best male player yet to win a Major have to be Patrick Cantlay, Max Homa, Tommy Fleetwood, Will Zalatoris, Joaquin Niemann, Ludvig Aberg, and Tyrrell Hatton.
These ‘best players yet to win a Major’ have seemingly won Majors fairly quickly based on the past few years, so there’s every chance we’ll see them pick off one or two over the next couple of years.
TIGER WOODS…
For the first time I’ve found myself doubting Tiger Woods’ ability to win tournaments again after his showings at the first two Majors.
Or, now I’ve written that out, his chance to win a PGA or US Open.
Woods’ showing at Augusta was incredible. To make the cut after playing less than two rounds all year when some huge names missed the cut – including two reigning Major champions in Wyndham Clark and Brian Harman – was extraordinary. He ended up last of the players to make the weekend, but I could forgive him for a bad, rusty round.
His showing at the PGA felt different, though, as he now had five competitive rounds under his belt for the year, but the rustiness still showed. He was one-under after 16 holes in round one before falling away, but it got me thinking that even if he was playing well, I would have found it hard to believe he could shoot 21-under around that course.
Schauffele, Scheffler, McIlroy, Rahm, Hovland and co. are just so good that when they’re on form (like Scheffler at Augusta and Schauffele at Valhalla) they’re realistically too fresh and too good for a rusty, 48-year-old Tiger Woods. Around a big and soft course like that, anyway, that isn’t Augusta.
For him to win a Major again – which I do still believe he can do – I’m starting to think it can only come at The Masters and The Open, and he has to have had some competitive reps a week or two before. One tournament per month doesn’t seem to be working for him at the moment at least, so why doesn’t he try and get some reps in a regular PGA Tour event?
He’s fighting for the PGA Tour in the boardrooms and would be well aware of what his presence at a regular event could do for the viewing figures in the face of a battle vs LIV Golf, and he’d love nothing more than to finally get past Sam Snead and win his 83rd PGA Tour title.
He looked much better physically at Valhalla, which was a huge positive. I just hope he can continue to play as much as his body will allow him to. If he’s feeling sharp and can hit it well and putt and chip like we know he can, he can easily still win again.
That just seems like quite a big ‘if’.
BRYSON
When Bryson DeChambeau joined LIV Golf in 2022 for a huge fee while struggling with form and injuries, golf’s great showman had been somewhat forgotten about on the Major stage.
Yet, he is well and truly back, and he is now a firm crowd favorite thanks to his entertaining style of play and his new-found love for content creation, which has seen him grow his YouTube channel to over 600,000 subscribers. I wrote earlier this week that DeChambeau’s move to LIV Golf was perfect for him – and it really seems like it has been.
Away from YouTube and inside the ropes, DeChambeau looks more than ready to win his second Major title. He clearly learned a lot from his slow fall back at Augusta, where he held the round-one lead and eventually finished T6th.
At Valhalla, he matched the previous record score-to-par in a men’s Major of 20-under (just a shame Schauffele beat it) and reminded us all of why he was such a big loss for the PGA Tour.
He’s fun to watch and he’s a generational talent (you don’t win the NCAA Division 1 title, US Amateur and US Open if you’re not).
His career continues to be a fascinating and enjoyable one to follow. It’s great to have him back.
WHO WILL STOP THE AMERICAN RUN OF MAJOR WINS?
Americans have now won five Majors in a row (Koepka, Clark, Harman, Scheffler, Schauffele) after a run of three consecutive international winners (Fitzpatrick, Smith, Rahm).
So will they make it six in a row or can an international player stop them?
Scheffler, Schauffele, Koepka, Morikawa, DeChambeau and Homa are among the strong US contingent favored for the US Open, but European golf is looking very strong right now.
McIlroy, Rahm, Hovland, Aberg, Fleetwood, Lowry, Fitzpatrick, Hatton, and Nicolai Hojgaard are all capable of winning the biggest events, and many have thrown in some very strong performances so far this year.
Then there’s Australia’s Cameron Smith and Jason Day, Chile’s Joaquin Niemann, Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama, and Korea’s Tom Kim.
I’m not sure that this really means anything, but it’s one to follow.
SPIETH AND JT STILL NOT QUITE BACK YET
Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas are two of golf’s biggest names with 28 PGA Tour wins and five Majors between them – but they still don’t quite seem to be in that upper-tier right now.
The pair haven’t won in over two years (Spieth 2022 RBC Heritage, Thomas 2022 PGA Championship) and you feel that the game needs them back challenging and winning Majors.
Thomas looks like he’s making a return to form after a poor season by his standards last year, while Spieth has just one top-10 and four missed cuts in his last eight starts.
Will the PGA Tour and PIF merger ever become a reality? In the past week, two independent directors have resigned from the PGA Tour policy board. Four days ago, the architect of the PGA Tour and PIF negotiation, Jimmy Dunes left the policy board as his idea probably didn’t align with what Commissioner Jay Monahan and Vice Chairman, Tiger Woods proposed.
Dunes cited the stagnant growth in the PIF-PGA Tour merger and the majority of players on directors being on board as the reason for his resignation. He said, “Since the players now outnumber the independent directors on the board and no meaningful progress has been made towards a transaction with the PIF I feel like my vote and my role is utterly superfluous.”
Following his path, another independent director, Mark Flaherty stepped down from the director position as the Woods-Monahan duo’s goals failed to inspire him too. However, unlike Dunes, Flaherty didn’t disclose the reason behind his resignation. But he was appreciative of the 4 and a half years spent as an independent director and showed gratitude towards Jay Monahan for his leadership, The news of Flaherty leaving the PGA Tour policy board was shared on X by NBC writer, Rex Hoggard. Flaherty said in the letter as NBC reported, “It’s been an honor and a privilege to serve on the policy board for the past 4 ½ years. Golf has always been a significant part of my life. Being able to blend my passion for the sport with the intricate workings and growth of the PGA Tour has been a truly rewarding experience.”
With Flaherty out of the PGA Tour policy board, now only three independent directors including Joe Gorder, Mary Meeker, and chairman Ed Herlihy remain on the policy board. The independent directors vote now is in the minority as six players directors, Tiger Woods, Jordan Spieth, Adam Scott, Patrick Cantlay, Peter Malnati and Webb Simpson remain on the policy board.
The Monahan-led PGA Tour’s policy board has been shattering apart, and with no PGA Tour and PIF merger in sight, it leaves the golf world wondering if it would ever be finalized. Although there has not been any particular update regarding the $3 billion merger, the vice chairman, Woods says that there has been progress made.
Tiger Woods says the negotiation with PIF is ‘fluid’
On Tuesday of the PGA Championship, Tiger Woods addressed the reporters and gave an insight into what’s going on behind the closed curtains between PGA Tour and PIF. Unlike Jimmy Dunes’ statement that there has been no progress in the merger, Woods explained, “It’s ongoing, it’s fluid. It changes day-to-day.”
However, the 15-time major champion elaborated that the negotiation has still not reached the point it should as the process is taking longer time with small steps taken. Woods said, “It’s an ongoing negotiation, so a lot of work ahead for all of us with this process. And so we’re making steps and it may not be giant steps, but we’re making steps.”
The PIF and PGA Tour was aimed to unify the golf world which was left divided after LIV Golf entered the golf scene. It was expected to be finalized by the end of 2023, however, one thing led to another and the two parties have still not come to the same page.
Of the four major tournaments in golf, the PGA Championship is thought to be the most unique. This event differs from the other majors in numerous ways, starting with the opportunity for club professionals to compete and ending with the distinctive tournament customs. The PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club will continue to adopt the special local regulation in 2024 as part of its distinct vibe.
For the fourth year in a row, competitors will be allowed to use rangefinders during their competition rounds. The goal of the PGA of America’s decision to allow rangefinders at its main tournament is to speed up the pace of play. Although range finders are now widely used for recreational golf at clubs all over the world, they are still forbidden in the highest professional divisions of the sport such as the other three majors and regular tour events.
PGA President Jim Richerson explained the rationale in 2021, saying, “We’re interested in methods that may help the flow of play during our championships.” Rangefinders allow players to quickly get precise distances without having to walk off the yardage. This time-saving device could keep the players moving at a quicker pace. It is often used in practice rounds by caddies.
Even though it will only be in effect for one week at the 2024 PGA, the rangefinder rule might have longer-term effects. When it was initially implemented in 2021, it was viewed as a contentious departure from custom. However, encouraging player responses implies that the regulation might endure.
A temporary experiment or the future norm?
2019 saw the USGA and R&A update the Rules of Golf to allow golf events to use rangefinders. The PGA took advantage of this, probably in an attempt to avoid the lengthy pace of play fines that have occasionally tarnished its major. Rangefinders have become standard equipment during practice rounds when permitted, so players and caddies are happy about the rule.
With the regulation in place, the Tour is closely observing the PGA’s pace-of-play outcomes. If it does well at the PGA Championship, the Tour might reconsider its position, and allow it in its events and other three majors. The PGA of America also extends the rangefinder rule to its Women’s PGA and Senior PGA events. Rangefinders are becoming more and more accepted among professional golfers, and in the next few years, they may replace current standards. So if this previous anomaly rule becomes the standard on professional tours across the globe, don’t be shocked.
Tiger Woods sought to take the positives from his first round at the PGA Championship despite a stuttering finish that left him with work to do to make the cut on Friday.
Woods, making his first appearance since last month’s Masters, bogeyed his final two holes to sign off for a first-round 72 and leave him ten shots behind clubhouse leader Xander Schauffele.
Playing in benign morning conditions at Valhalla, the 15-time Major champion made three birdies but also carded four bogeys as he returned to the course where he won the PGA Championship back in 2000.
And, speaking after the round, the American insisted the round represented another positive step in his comeback from serious ankle surgery last year.
“I am getting stronger for sure. It’s just that I just don’t play a whole lot of competitive rounds,” he said. “I haven’t played since the Masters. So it’s a little bit different than being at home and playing a flat Florida course.
“Each day is a little bit different. Some days, it’s better than others. It’s just the way it is. My body is just that way. Some days, it feels great, and other days, a bit of a struggle.
“It took me probably three holes to get back into competitive flow again and get a feel for hitting the ball out there in competition, adrenaline, temperatures, green speeds. These are all things that normally I adjust to very quickly, and it just took me a few holes to get into it.”
Starting on the back nine, Woods bogeyed the par-3 11th after an errant tee shot but bounced back with a birdie on the 14th hole. Another bogey followed on the 15th – as he carded a first-nine 37 – but the 48-year-old got back to level par after a superb tee shot into the third hole.
Woods was briefly in the red after another birdie, this time at the par-5 seventh, but a sloppy finish saw the 82-time PGA Tour winner bogey his final two holes to sign off for a one-over-par round of 72.
“Well, you can’t win a tournament unless you make the cut. That’s the whole idea is get to the weekend so that you can participate and have a chance to win,” he added.
“I’ve been on the cut number and have won tournaments, or I’ve been ahead and leading tournaments and I’ve won tournaments. But you have to get to the weekend in order to win a golf tournament.”
Setting the early pace on Thursday was Woods’ fellow countryman Schauffele, who broke records with his blistering nine-under-par 62. The World No.3 is sat on -9, with Tony Finau and Sahith Theegala his closest competitors on -6.
Although attention is firmly on the second men’s Major championship of 2024 – the PGA Championship – talk briefly turned to the Ryder Cup in 2025 during Seth Waugh, CEO of The PGA of America’s, press conference at Valhalla.
We know who will captain the Europeans into battle at Bethpage Black, as Luke Donald continues his tenure, but it is still unclear as to who will be in charge of the American team. However, one of the favorites is 15-time Major winner, Tiger Woods, with Waugh revealing that they have had conversations about the possibility of Woods leading the US side next year.
“He (Woods) obviously made it pretty public in Georgia a month or so ago, and I obviously was asked about it today,” stated Waugh, who held a lengthy press conference on Wednesday afternoon in Kentucky.
“We have had conversations for months. We have also had conversations at the Ryder Cup Committee, multiple conversations about potential captains and a list of potential captains. You know, Tiger, he’s been pretty clear. I think we all know that he can be pretty focused, and one of his many superpowers is that ability to sort of tunnel and decide. And he doesn’t do anything that he’s not fully committed to, and we totally respect that.
“He’s got a lot on his plate right now. He’s very active, obviously, on the Tour side of things. We want to give him and the committee space to decide, you know, decide how it plays out.”
After reclaiming the Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits in 2021, the US side were handed a 16.5 – 11.5 defeat by Donald’s men in Marco Simone in 2023. The defeat meant the Americans haven’t won on European soil since the 1993 Ryder Cup, a span of 30 years.
Both Donald and vice-captain, Edoardo Molinari, who was one of Europe’s best assets in Rome due to his expertise in the stats department, have already scoped out Bethpage. This doesn’t seem to phase the PGA of America CEO, though, as Waugh claimed decisions on captaincy have been made later than this.
“You know, everybody sort of has a timeline and I realize it’s a news day and you guys want news, but we have picked captains later than this,” explained the American. “We’ve picked captains earlier than this. Luke Donald was named a year out a year ago and they had a pretty good performance, for instance. We think there’s plenty of time, and putting an artificial date on it is not something we need to do.”
Just 24 hours prior to Waugh’s press conference, Woods also spoke to the media at the PGA Championship. Reiterating what the PGA of America CEO had stated, claiming that discussions were ongoing, Woods added: “We’re still talking.
“There’s nothing that has been confirmed yet. We’re still working on what that might look like. Also, whether or not I have the time to do it. I’m dedicating my time so much time to what we’re doing with the PGA Tour, I don’t want to not fulfill the role of the captaincy if I can’t do it.”
alhalla takes center stage as the 2024 PGA Championship gets underway in Louisville, Kentucky.
The club hosts its fourth PGA Championship this week and first since Rory McIlroy’s last Major win ten years ago. McIlroy is among the favorites this week along with World No.1 Scottie Scheffler and defending champion Brooks Koepka.
Valhalla is set to play long, with rain softening up the course this week and more rain looking likely for Friday. Thursday’s opening round should be warm and sunny with a light breeze.
Follow along all day for the latest scores and updates:
PGA CHAMPIONSHIP LEADERBOARD
-2 GHIM, SCHAUFFELE
-1 McILROY, KAYMER, DONALD, HOVLAND, HADWIN
PGA CHAMPIONSHIP TEE TIMES: NOTABLE ROUND 1 GROUPS
9.14am ET (2.14pm BST): Tiger Woods, Adam Scott, Keegan Bradley
9.25am ET (2.25pm BST): Rory McIlroy, Dustin Johnson, Justin Rose
9.47am ET (2.47pm BST): Brooks Koepka, Max Homa, Jordan Spieth
3.23pm ET (8.23pm BST): Wyndham Clark, Brian Harman, Scottie Scheffler
WOODS MAKE SUPERB PAR SAVE ON 12TH AFTER WEDGING OUT OF ROUGH
Woods missed the fairway of the par 4 12th on the left side and had to wedge out on to the short grass from where he has found the green from 180 yards and has a testing putt to save par which he superbly makes to avoid slipping to +2.
MCILROY DISAPPOINTED WITH TEE SHOT AT PAR 3 11TH
McIlroy will still back himself to make par on the par 3 11th and stay -1 but he wasn’t happy with his tee shot which finished on the far side of the two-tier green. He makes a par though.
MCILROY OFF TO FLYER BUT WOODS DROPS SHOT ON HIS SECOND HOLE
McIlroy opened with a birdie four at the par 5 10th to get to -1 but Tiger dropped a shot on the 11th after missing the green at the par 3.
SCHAUFFELE AND MCILROY BOTH MAKE BRIGHT STARTS AFTER RECENT DUEL
Xander Schauffele was blown away by Rory McIlroy in the final round of the Wells Fargo Championship when the American’s putter went cold and he limped home in a final round 71 but he is already -1 today after birdieing the 11th having started on the 10th. McIlroy , also starting on the par 5 10th, opened with a birdie.
WOODS UNDERWAY AFTER 293-YARD DRIVE
Tiger Woods smashed a big drive down the middle of the fairway but pushed his approach to the par 5 10th into the right hand rough where he has a difficult chip from heavy rough over a bunker which he executes beautifully to give himself a birdie chance which slides by as he settles for par.
IGHTMARE FOR BLOCK WHO WILL STRUGGLE TO MAKE CUT
Michael Block was one of the stories of last year’s tournament as he came tied fifth but the club pro from California will struggle to make the cut this time around as he is +5 already. He bogeyed the first after going left off the tee and then amassed a quadruple bogey 8 on the par four second.
His last seven appearances include three withdrawals, one missed cut, a T60, a T45 and a T18. Yes, we are talking about Tiger Woods, the golfer who once dominated the OWGR for a total of 683 weeks. In 2021, Woods’s bone-chilling car crash accident led to a slew of subsequent surgeries, and back problems. The pro was, thus, unable to dish out his best, causing him to fall in his rankings. Despite all the hiccups, he still poses a grave threat to many in the upcoming major.
Even at his current rank of 807, the 15-time major champion has a good chance of regaining his lost position on the leaderboard if he emerges victorious at the upcoming event. That’s not all; he can even surpass the likes of defending champ Brooks Koepka if he manages to do so at the PGA Championship.
A tweet was shared by NUCLR GOLF mentioning how the 48-year-old athlete “climb as high as #30 in the OWGR should he turn back the clock and win at Valhalla this week.” The figure of 100 points the major is projected to award the champion golfer is more than enough to increase his tally to a total of 104.45815.
This, interestingly, would allow Tiger Woods to shoot past many LIV Golf Pros, including Koepka, who is currently placed at No. 39 with 93.11344 points. Adding to the list of athletes on the breakaway league Mr.T would surpass Cameron Smith, who is at No. 61, Joaquin Niemann at No. 91, Bryson DeChambeau at No. 124, and Dustin Johnson at No. 392, among others.
If you think that’s all there is to the threat, then you’re sorely wrong! Back in 2000, the then-25-year-old Woods became a part of history by becoming the first golfer since 1953 after Ben Hogan to win three major championships in a single year (a.k.a. the Triple Crown of Golf). This feat he achieved at the Valhalla Golf Course, after raking in victories in the U.S. Open and the Open Championship, not to mention the other four wins he garnered at the Mercedes Championship, the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, the Bay Hill Invitational, and the Memorial Tournament.
The legend of the game would then go on to claim his second Masters title the following year, allowing him to complete the iconic Tiger Slam. The 2000 PGA Championship holds a special place in the golf community, all thanks to it making him part of history that was once owned by one of golf’s legends.
A look back at Woods’s performance at the 2000 PGA Championship
With figures of 66-67-70-67 over the four days of play, Tiger Woods was able to tie with Bob May at the top of the leaderboard with a score of 18-under 270. In the following three-hole-aggregate playoff, the 15-time major champ was able to beat May by going 1-under, with a birdie, as opposed to the latter staying even-par.
Aside from the birdie that helped Woods win the event, he was able to card a total of 25 of the same over the four rounds, along with five bogeys and a double bogey on the par-4, 12th on Saturday. At the same time, May’s impressive performance, pushing the athlete to a three-hole playoff, was more than enough to earn him the title of “Tiger’s rival.”
