Tiger Woods given first ever exemption for US Open with rules stating he would miss major…
Tiger Woods will play in this week’s US Open after landing himself a special exemption for the first time.
The 15-time major winner is far from the force he once was, but remains one of the game’s biggest draws and will feature at Pinehurst over the coming days. Woods for so long participated as a result of his results, but that is no longer the case for the 48-year-old.
But he won’t have to embark on a qualifying campaign to feature at the US Open. The fine print of the tournament’s entry form features Category F-23 among the exemptions from Local and Final Qualifying. The USGA, who oversee the US Open, notes that it reserves the right to select a player for a special exemption into the national championship.
Woods has landed one for the first time to ensure he’ll be part of the field ahead of Thursday’s first tee. The iconic figure hasn’t competed as the US Open since 2020, where he failed to make the cut. His last victory in the tournament came back in 2008.
The four different majors have different parameters for past champions competing in them. Woods can play in the Masters and PGA Championship as a past champion for the rest of his life and can play in the Open Championship until 2036, by which time he’ll be 60, thanks to his three victories.
But winning the U.S. Open only comes with a 10-year exemption. His last success was at Torrey Pines in 2008 whilst his five-year exemption from winning the 2019 Masters has run out. It meant 2024 was the first point in Woods’ professional career that he was not walking into the U.S. Open.
He said on receiving the exemption: “The U.S. Open, our national championship, is a truly special event for our game and one that has helped define my career. I’m honoured to receive this exemption and could not be more excited for the opportunity to compete in this year’s U.S. Open, especially at Pinehurst, a venue that means s
o much to the game.”
Tiger Woods given first ever exemption for US Open with rules stating he would miss major
Tiger Woods was due to miss out on this week’s US Open after years of poor results but the 15-time major winner has received his first ever exemption to play this week
Tiger Woods will feature at this week’s US Open after landing an exemption (
Tiger Woods will play in this week’s US Open after landing himself a special exemption for the first time.
The 15-time major winner is far from the force he once was, but remains one of the game’s biggest draws and will feature at Pinehurst over the coming days. Woods for so long participated as a result of his results, but that is no longer the case for the 48-year-old.
But he won’t have to embark on a qualifying campaign to feature at the US Open. The fine print of the tournament’s entry form features Category F-23 among the exemptions from Local and Final Qualifying. The USGA, who oversee the US Open, notes that it reserves the right to select a player for a special exemption into the national championship.
Woods has landed one for the first time to ensure he’ll be part of the field ahead of Thursday’s first tee. The iconic figure hasn’t competed as the US Open since 2020, where he failed to make the cut. His last victory in the tournament came back in 2008.
The four different majors have different parameters for past champions competing in them. Woods can play in the Masters and PGA Championship as a past champion for the rest of his life and can play in the Open Championship until 2036, by which time he’ll be 60, thanks to his three victories.
But winning the U.S. Open only comes with a 10-year exemption. His last success was at Torrey Pines in 2008 whilst his five-year exemption from winning the 2019 Masters has run out. It meant 2024 was the first point in Woods’ professional career that he was not walking into the U.S. Open.
He said on receiving the exemption: “The U.S. Open, our national championship, is a truly special event for our game and one that has helped define my career. I’m honoured to receive this exemption and could not be more excited for the opportunity to compete in this year’s U.S. Open, especially at Pinehurst, a venue that means so much to the game.”