Here. We. Go.
Eldrick Tont “Tiger” Woods, the 15–time Major Champion, now at the half-century mark, just decided that he will be stepping on the green to compete in the TGL Finals Match with his Jupiter Links Squad alongside Tom Kim and Max Homa, against Sahith Theegala, Tommy Fleetwood, and Justin Rose. It comes as no surprise to the people that know him personally; he has all the confidence in the world to insert himself back into the competition and make his first appearance in over a year. Woods hasn’t played in a PGA Tour event since the Open Championship in 2024. Avid golf fans are speculating whether Tiger is playing in the 2nd match of the TGL Finals tonight to get him back in the groove to compete in the upcoming annual Masters Tournament, which is less than a month away.
Woods is one of those rare breed athletes that could take a decent amount of time off and effortlessly make a comeback to play at a high-level like he never left. Woods sat out the entire year recovering from back surgery and believes that he is in shape and ready to go. The determination this man has to return to competing with and against the best in the game is admirable, peculiarly even after having several injuries that required surgery over the last two decades. Tiger is just built differently, even at the age of 50. The guy is the “Terminator” of the golf world.
The TGL League isn’t the traditional game of golf that requires golfers to walk, due to being a “Golf Simulator” league, but it is still physically demanding, and as close as it gets to playing on an actual course. Some call it “The Golden Tee” League, which is a classic game that sits in most American bars. Fans can call it what they want, but in order to compete with the “Big Doggs” you’ll need to have a stick with one heck of a shot and a nice putter.
Even if fans aren’t sold on the TGL Finals, guaranteed they’ll be tuned in tonight. Tiger Woods is sure to boost TV ratings, bringing in a significantly bigger audience when he is competing, regardless of whether he is on his game or not. Being one of the best golfers to ever step foot on a golf course gives Tiger the upper hand in most cases when it comes to selling tickets and increasing television views/ratings. If Woods rolled up to play in a wheelchair, fans would still pull up to watch him.
The stage is set, Woods is back ripping shots, and the anticipation has fans delighted and excited for Tiger’s season debut to see how he holds up and performs tonight. The TGL Finals will take place at the SoFi Center on the campus of Palm Beach State College at 7PM ET on ESPN.
Dante Robinson | Senior PGA Analyst for The NSR Network
