Tiger Woods returned to the golf course in December at the PNC Championship just 10 months after his horrific LA car crash that saw him require a rod inserted into his leg as well as screws and pins inserted into his ankle. His comeback in Orlando, where he and son Charlie finished second to the Dalys, was simply remarkable. Many golf fans are now expecting the 15-time Major winner to return this year and potentially even win more tournaments and Majors over the coming years.
However, coach and Sky Sports analyst Simon Holmes thinks that Woods' body may no longer be able to cope with the stresses and practice required to get back out on Tour for good. Whilst predicting the biggest moment of 2022, Holmes and presenter Rob Lee both thought Woods would be involved in the biggest story of the year. Lee went for Woods to win another tournament, whilst Holmes went for Woods to retire.
The Englishman, who has worked with the likes of Seve Ballesteros, Sir Nick Faldo and Bernhard Langer, predicted that Tiger would retire this July at the 150th Open at St Andrews. “I really hope it doesn’t happen, but it’s something I think that could happen," he said during Sky Sports' coverage of the Sentry Tournament of Champions. “Jack and Arnie did the same thing on the Swilken Bridge when they played in their last Major and I could just see Tiger thinking it would be a nice way to go out.”
Woods won his second-consecutive St Andrews Open in 2005
Woods' close friend John Cook recently told the Golf Channel that he thinks Woods will not be ready for this year's Majors and will instead opt to make his next appearance at the 2022 PNC Championship in December. “I don’t see it in the next 12 months,” Cook said. “I think next time we see him will be [at the PNC Championship] next year [in 2022]. I don’t think his body will be physically ready. He can’t train the way he’s going to want to train.”
Woods has won two Open Championships at St Andrews, in 2000 and 2005. He recently said that he would "love" to tee it up at the 150th Open this summer. "I would love to play at St Andrews," he said. "It's my favourite golf course in the world. To be a two-time Open champion there, just being a part of the champions dinner is really neat."
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