Tiger Woods Registers To Play In US Senior Open In July

Tiger Woods speaks at a press conference — (Image credit: Getty Images)

The name Tiger Woods was not included in an early list of star players taking part in the US Senior Open this year - but that doesn't mean that he won't play.

The 2026 US Senior Open will tee off on July 2 at Scioto Country Club in Columbus, Ohio - the course where Jack Nicklaus famously learned to play golf.

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The 15-time Major winner turned 50 at the end of last year so is newly eligible for the seniors circuit, and has said he'd like to play as the tour allows golf carts which would help with his main problem of simply walking around during a tournament due to the amount of injuries he's sustained.

You'd think the USGA would be shouting it from the rooftops if Tiger had confirmed for the US Senior Open, but despite not being mentioned he has actually registered for the tournament.

“Tiger has entered the championship, simply to ensure eligibility, but will not make a decision about playing until a later date,” the USGA told Golf Digest.

That makes a lot of sense given Woods has only just appeared in TGL in the final match as he continues to recover from both Achilles and back surgeries he had last year.

Tiger Woods walking next to a golf cart at the 2022 PNC Championship — Tiger Woods would be able to use a golf cart if he played on the seniors circuit

Woods doesn't even know if he'll be able to play in The Masters yet, although President Donald Trump said that he won't tee it up at Augusta.

So the lack of Woods' name in the USGA announcement shouldn't be too much of a sign either way about his intentions to play in the US Senior Open - and being registered means that he certainly can if he recovers.

And Woods isn't the only one - as Zach Johnson, Henrik Stenson and Ian Poulter have all crossed the 50 threshold so can take part on the seniors circuit this year but there's no mention of their participation as yet.

So it's another case of wait and see where and when Tiger Woods will be able to play competitive golf again.

As for those confirmed for the US Senior Open, they include Ernie Els, Davis Love III, Justin Leonard, Vijay Singh, Mike Weir, Stewart Cink, Darren Clarke and Angel Cabrera, along with previous winners such as Steve Stricker, David Toms and Jim Furyk.

The USGA and golf fans everywhere will be hoping the name Tiger Woods can be added to that list.

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Paul Higham is a sports journalist with over 20 years of experience in covering most major sporting events for both Sky Sports and BBC Sport. He is currently freelance and covers the golf majors on the BBC Sport website. Highlights over the years include covering that epic Monday finish in the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor and watching Rory McIlroy produce one of the most dominant Major wins at the 2011 US Open at Congressional. He also writes betting previews and still feels strangely proud of backing Danny Willett when he won the Masters in 2016 - Willett also praised his putting stroke during a media event before the Open at Hoylake. Favourite interviews he's conducted have been with McIlroy, Paul McGinley, Thomas Bjorn, Rickie Fowler and the enigma that is Victor Dubuisson. A big fan of watching any golf from any tour, sadly he spends more time writing about golf than playing these days with two young children, and as a big fair weather golfer claims playing in shorts is worth at least five shots. Being from Liverpool he loves the likes of Hoylake, Birkdale and the stretch of tracks along England's Golf Coast, but would say his favourite courses played are Kingsbarns and Portrush.

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