Golf chief makes confident Tiger Woods prediction as TGL rumours swirl

Tiger Woods is expected to compete at the 2028 U.S. Senior Open as he bids to achieve a unique milestone in golf, according to the USGA's chief championships officer.

Woods, 50, has not played competitively since missing the cut at the 2024 Open Championship.

The 15-time major champion, who had back surgery last October, had been preparing for a comeback at this year's Masters but missed all four men's majors for a second successive year after being involved in another car crash.

Woods was subsequently banned from driving for five years after reaching a deal with prosecutors. 

He now appears to be stepping up his efforts to return to competitive golf, although the timing of his comeback remains unclear.

There has been speculation that Woods intends to play in the forthcoming season of TGL, while he could also feature at the Hero World Challenge and PNC Championship in December.

However, whether he will be able to return to competitive golf at the highest level, rather than feature only in exhibitions and unofficial events, remains to be seen.

John Bodenhamer, the USGA's chief championships officer, says he expects Woods to compete at the 2028 U.S. Senior Open when it is held at Crooked Stick Golf Club in Carmel, Indiana.

"Tiger understands his legacy," John Bodenhamer told WISH-TV News over the weekend.

"Bobby Jones won nine USGA national championships. Tiger Woods has won nine, and to win that tenth, if he could do it at the US Senior Open, he understands what that means.

"There's only been two people in the history of our game that have won the US Amateur, the US Open, and the US Senior Open – Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer.

"Tiger's won the Am and the Open. He's never won the Senior Open. But Tiger's also won the Junior Am. He’d be the only one ever to do it.

"So, I guess what I'm trying to say is, it's important to Tiger, and I would expect that he would be here at Crooked Stick."

Tiger set to return to TGL

Bodenhamer's comments come as ESPN have reported that Woods is almost certain to tee it up when TGL kicks off its third season on 27 December. 

Woods' Jupiter Links Golf Club will play Los Angeles Golf Club in the opening match. 

It is a repeat of last year's final. 

Related:

• TGL schedule and teams

The opening night will be a double-header, with Rory McIlroy's Boston Common Golf taking on Brooks Koepka's Motor City Golf Club. 

Woods has not committed to playing just yet, but ESPN reported he will play barring any more physical setbacks. 

Kevin Kisner, the multiple PGA Tour winner who was part of Woods' TGL team until he was replaced with Keith Mitchell, told the Fore Play podcast last week that the hall of famer is intent on playing a full schedule of indoor golf.

"Tiger wants to play, and they wanted to sign Keith Mitchell, which is totally fine with me," said Kisner. 

"Rob (McNamara), Tiger's guy, he texted me a long text last week. Just telling me what they did on their decisions, how they were moving around and what players were going to do, and that Tiger wanted to play a full schedule."

He added: "I think he plays the Hero World Challenge and PNC Father Son. I think he is going to play both."