Tiger Woods Teases Retirement While Discussing His Future At The Masters

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There is arguably no one who has left a more indelible mark on the game of golf than Tiger Woods, who really burst onto the scene with his dominant win at The Masters in 1997, which marked the first of the 15 major championships he’s racked up over the course of his career.

Tiger was only 20 years old when he earned the right to don the first of the five green jackets he’s added to his collection over the years, and while it would be nice to think he’ll be able to play the game forever, it’s become increasingly difficult to ignore the fact that his best years are behind him.

The 47-year-old has been incredibly candid about the struggles he’s faced since suffering a serious leg injury in a car crash in 2021. He has been able to compete in a number of tournaments since recovering, but it’s very clear he’s still dealing with lingering issues that have severely hampered his mobility.

Tiger downplayed the notion he was seriously contemplating retirement ahead of The British Open last year, but it does appear he’s begun to come to terms with the fact that he’ll eventually reach a point where competing on the PGA Tour simply isn’t in the cards.

On Tuesday, Woods acknowledged that reality while speaking with the press ahead of The Masters during a press conference where he admitted he knows it’s only a matter of time until he’ll be more content watching the event than competing in it.

Here’s what he had to say:

“Last year I didn’t know if I was going to play again at the time. For some reason, everything kind of came together and I pushed a little bit and was able to make the cut, which was nice. 

I don’t know how many more I have in me, so [I want to] just be able to appreciate the time that I have here and cherish the memories.” 

Tiger also hinted he was looking forward to hitting the age of 50, as he said he’ll be more than happy to take advantage of the carts golfers on the Champions Tour are allowed to use during events.

There’s no telling when he’ll move on to the next chapter of his career, but the current one has certainly been a treat to watch unfold.