The PGA TOUR needs to give Tiger Woods a lifetime exemption to play where ever he wants when he’s ready to return from injury

Drew Smith
March 9, 2026
Golf
0 Comments

Tommy Fleetwood found out Monday that Tiger Woods is not eligible to compete in the Players Championship this week and his reaction was perfect.

Tommy Fleetwood on Tiger Woods being ineligible at THE PLAYERS

“Tiger’s not eligible for this event? That’s unbelievable. How bad is Tiger Woods at golf?”

He is not wrong. Woods has not played a tournament round since The Open Championship in 2024 after undergoing another back surgery last year.

This is the first time in his career he has not been eligible to compete at TPC Sawgrass. The man who won the Players Championship twice, who more than anyone else is responsible for the PGA Tour being what it is today, does not currently meet the eligibility criteria to tee it up there.

Fleetwood made his stance clear. If Woods wants to play anywhere in the world, he should be allowed to. Justin Thomas echoed the sentiment in his own press conference Monday.

Justin Thomas on Tiger Woods:

“I’m always going to be for him playing. For the betterment of golf and the tournament, I don’t think there’s anybody that would be against it.”

Both of them are right… obviously. We’re talking about Tiger Woods. That name should be eligible to compete in literally any golf tournament being played on planet earth with no questions asked.

The eligibility conversation is almost beside the point because he is not healthy enough to compete right now anyway, but if Tiger Woods gets back to a place where he is ready to play again, the PGA Tour should figure out a way to get him in the field at Sawgrass or anywhere else he’s interesting in competing.

The tournament is better with Tiger in it. The golf world in general is better with Tiger Woods playing. He earned a lifetime exemption to show up wherever he wants the moment he turned professional.

Thomas hedged appropriately. “We’ll cross that bridge if we get there.” That is the right answer for right now. The priority is getting Tiger Woods healthy.

Everything else is secondary. The Players Championship begins Thursday at TPC Sawgrass. Tiger Woods won’t be playing, but there’s always The Masters Tournament on the sacred grounds of Augusta National, coming in April.