Will Tiger Woods play on Champions Tour?

check in every week For the unfiltered opinions of our writers and editors as they discuss the hottest topics in sports, and join the conversation by tweeting at us. @golf_comThis week, we discuss Tiger Woods’ Champions Tour plans, Skins game and more.

Tiger Woods will host (but not play in) his Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas this week, as he is still recovering from his latest back surgery. Although Woods’ 50th birthday is coming up on December 30, it has fueled speculation about whether we will see Woods play on the Champions Tour over 50 in the future. Woods has been mostly silent on the topic over the past few years, but he has dropped a few subtle tidbits. Is it really realistic for Woods to play the Champions Tour in any capacity? And could he succeed?

Josh Sens, Senior Writer (@joshsensgolf): If he’s healthy enough to stand upright and swing, we’ll see him sparring, either because of his competitive drive or a partnership deal or some combination of the two. I don’t get how he gets away with it so completely compared to Nicklaus. And healthy enough to swing, Woods will certainly have a chance to win.

Jack Hirsch, associate tools editor (@JR_HIRSHey): If he finds a cart (and so do others on the field), he will play. We know how competitive he is and if the biggest issue is really the walk (which all the evidence supports) then we’ll see him at the PGA Tour Champions. He is keeping us in suspense because he does not want the opponents to know what his game plan is on any tour. As far as his success goes… would you bet against him against the same guys he’s been whipping left, right and upside down? He would win even with one hand tied behind his back. Now he’ll show that he can do it with only one leg!

Josh Shrock, News Editor (@Shrock_And_Awe): I think we may see him here and there on the Champions Tour, but I think if he’s able to swing and thinks he can play competitively, he’ll make every effort to play majors. Does playing Boeing Classic help? We may get to the point where Tiger just plays on the senior tour, but I don’t think he feels he’s there yet. But if he keeps it up, certainly, he can go out and be successful over 54 holes against guys he beat in his prime.

Despite struggling to stay healthy and his game declining over the years, Woods is still golf’s biggest attraction. What do you think Woods’ debut on the Champs Tour will do for that circuit? Will it be bigger than that week’s PGA Tour stop?

Sense: There will be a lot of excitement about it for the first time and a jump in ratings, but mostly as a kind of curiosity and nostalgia trip. Now it’s like a Bob Dylan concert. you want to see it. You have to see it at least once. But whether you really need to watch it again and again is a different story. Personally, I would prefer to remember Woods as an outstanding athlete rather than see him fade into nostalgia. so. I’m sure this will give the senior circuit a bit of a nice shake-up, but wouldn’t it be healthier for everyone – the Tigers, the fans, the tournament – ​​if we relaxed any on-course hopes and expectations?

Joy: It depends on what the PGA Tour stop is that week. I watch him play in the senior majors and make occasional appearances at some of the more notable stops, like the Pure Insurance Championship at Pebble Beach. There is no PGA Tour competition in that tournament. I see him being hesitant to play in something like the Chubb Classic, the Tour’s first mainland stop, because it conflicts with the PGA Tour’s signature event at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am. He will be strategic when he plays.

Shrock: I’m sure when he gets it going it will inject some energy and cash into the circuit. This will likely make those events more popular than some of the lesser PGA Tour events because, as Lydia Ko said, even people who don’t know golf know Tiger Woods. But it will be more of a nostalgic, feel-good experience than anything else, and that only goes so far.

The Skins Game returns to TV on Friday when Keegan Bradley, Tommy Fleetwood, Shane Lowry and Xander Schauffele square off at the Panther Nationals in Florida. what did you like? What didn’t you like? And was it enough to prove it had staying power?

Sense: My feelings about the event were like a partially reheated turkey: lukewarm. All the players were likable and some of the banter, especially Xander’s, was amusing. But the amount of money they were playing for was obnoxious (unless I’d forgotten it, there wasn’t even any mention of any proceeds going to charity), and the deceitfulness of a broadcast that pretended we were supposed to be excited about how much everyone was banking — as opposed to being disappointed by it — gave me post-Thanksgiving excitement.

Hirsh:Meh, I found myself leaving this on in the background while I was doing some Black Friday Amazon-ing. I enjoyed Keegan sailing with everyone and showing what could have been in the Ryder Cup (while holding back tears of anger). Panther National also looked good. But I am with enthusiasm. It fills the void of games on Black Friday morning, which I think is worth something.

Shrock: Like most golf’s blatant attempts to attract attention, this one was good. There were some good moments in it. The personalities were entertaining enough, but once again I think golf should not go into the less, more lane, which is the direction Brian Rolapp is going. These eccentric events are fine from time to time, but I don’t think they need to return as a Black Friday tradition before an NFL or loaded college football slate. As Tiger, Rory and others have pointed out before, golf is not going to compete with football.

Our Josh Sans unveils the 2025 Turkey of the Year, our annual awards given for missteps or other regrettable moments made over the past 11 months. Who or what takes home your choice?

sense: Rory’s fan abuse at Bethpage, no doubt. For his mixture of intelligence and ugliness, he was hard to defeat.

Joy: I’ll be specific on the topic of Sense here and say that it was he who was the MC who joined in the “F— you Rory” chants at the first tee. What are we doing?

Shrock: How could this not be whatever was going on at Bethpage as the Europeans gained a massive lead? If I had to pick a silver medalist, I’d probably go with Phil…well, everything.

Let’s end the holiday weekend with an easy (and delicious) weekend getaway. What are you grateful for in the golf world?

sense: I’ll look at your cheese and raise some schmaltz for you. But this is an honest answer: I’ve made friends through golf on every continent where the game is played, plus some of them in my hometown.

Joy: That my fiancée, Becca, hit a 5-wood long and high enough to hit and hold the green on the par-3 5th hole at Bandon Trails on a Trackman simulator this weekend! I don’t care if she plays golf more than once or twice a year, but it certainly won’t hurt the cause!

Shrock: Extra cheese, anyone? Having a job that allows us to travel, play, and cover golf is hard to top. Not a bad way to do “work.”

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