The USA Golf Affiliation (USGA) introduced Thursday afternoon that Tiger Woods has accepted a particular exemption to play within the 124th U.S. Open at Pinehurst.
It is going to be his first time taking part in within the U.S. Open since 2020 at Winged Foot, when he missed the lower.
Woods missed final 12 months’s U.S. Open as a consequence of rehabbing from surgical procedure.
“The U.S. Open, our nationwide championship, is a very particular occasion for our recreation and one which has helped outline my profession,” Woods mentioned. “I’m honored to obtain this exemption and couldn’t be extra excited for the chance to compete on this 12 months’s U.S. Open, particularly at Pinehurst, a venue meaning a lot to the sport.”
The three-time U.S. Open winner took house the crown in 2000, 2002 and 2008. Nevertheless, he has 9 USGA titles, which matches Bob Jones. These USGA wins embrace three straight U.S. Junior Amateurs from 1991-1993, adopted by three straight U.S. Amateurs from 1994-1996.
He additionally has an general USGA matchplay file of 42-3.
This particular exemption provides to what the USGA has supplied him this 12 months as Woods received the Bob Jones Award in March.
His 14th main championship got here at Torrey Pines in 2008, when he received on a damaged leg. It could take him 11 years to win his fifteenth on the 2019 Masters Match.
As soon as this information broke, golf social media followers had a hay day.
Earlier on Thursday, Talor Gooch commented that he was not trying to qualify for the U.S. Open regardless of his earlier remarks on main championships and LIV Golf gamers being ignored of them.
The timing from the USGA on this was immaculate, and the reactions are positive to garner some laughs.
Are you happy with The Open simply invited Tiger on an exemption for this 12 months ? Issues like because of this Talor Gooch is making a stand .
— RealNeil (@RealNeil1793093) Might 2, 2024
Gooch has not received a serious championship to qualify robotically, and he doesn’t rank excessive sufficient on the OWGR to get a spot, both. No matter successful thousands and thousands of {dollars} in the previous few weeks, that doesn’t imply he deserves a spot within the U.S. Open.
If he wished to play within the Nationwide Open, he would signal as much as qualify like most of the different LIV Golf gamers. But, he has determined not to take action.
Woods is an 82-time PGA Tour winner and received the 2019 Masters, so it isn’t laborious to know why he acquired a particular exemption to the occasion.
Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Taking part in By way of. For extra golf protection, make sure you observe us @_PlayingThrough on all main social platforms. You may as well observe her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.
