Tiger Woods has hinted at extending his golf career at age 50. But his words have never been as strong as the words of Jack Nicklaus, the man Tiger chased when it came to major championships.
Nicklaus was the guest of Nick Faldo when they started talking about Tiger using a golf cart because of his physical limitations.
“I told him, ‘Tiger, you deserve a car,'” Nicklaus, a North Palm Beach resident, said on Faldo’s podcast. “He says, ‘I’m not going to do that.'”
Nicklaus continues: “He says, ‘When I get on the senior tour, I will.’
Faldo then asked, “He’s really thinking he’ll be back at 50?”
Nicklaus said: “He wants to play the Senior Tour.”
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Players on Tour Champions can use karts. If he has a handicap on the PGA Tour, he must apply to ride during the competitive round. Woods certainly could have done it now but he declined.
Woods is 47. He becomes eligible for the Champions Tour when he turns 50 on December 30, 2025. He has proved that he can still swing a club after multiple back surgeries and a horrific car accident in which he nearly died.
But coming back from those injuries, especially a crash outside LA two years ago that left him with two leg fractures and a broken ankle, has been a challenge. Tiger’s biggest test since the accident is running five rounds (including one practice) over five or six days.
The Jupiter Islander played in four events last year, the Masters, PGA Championship and Open Championship in 2022 and last month’s Genesis Invitational.
Tiger missed the cut at The Open Championship in July; withdrew after three rounds at the PGA Championship last May, limping and appearing in pain; and played in all four rounds at the Masters and Genesis.
He carded 78s in the last two rounds of the Masters. He had a strong third round (67) before carding a 73 on the final day at the Riviera.
“It was definitely a little bit more difficult than I probably let it go,” Woods said after his tied-45 finish at Genesis. “My team has been fantastic in helping my body recover day by day and getting me ready to play every day.
“It’s the hard part that I can’t simulate at home. Even if I play four days at home, it’s not the same adrenaline, it’s not the same as the system being ramped up like that.” There’s intensity, it just takes focus to play at this level. I’m pretty good at emulating it at home, but it’s not the same as just being out there and doing it.
Tiger’s next tournament will be the Masters in three weeks. With 15 major titles, he is behind Nicklaus’ all-time record of 18. His 82 career PGA Tour wins is tied for most with Sam Snead.
This article was originally published on the Palm Beach Post: Jack Nicklaus says Tiger Woods wants to play on Senior Tour
