The Open Championship is one of the longest-running international sporting competitions on the planet and golf’s definitive original major. As the world’s best players get ready to tee off on the Old Course at Royal Troon Golf Club in Scotland, a three-time winner will also be making an appearance.
Tiger Woods draws the crowds, the media and the admiration whenever he picks up a club, and that will be no different at the 2024 Open Championship, where he’ll be making his first appearance in two years at the U.K.’s only Grand Slam tournament.
This competition was one of Woods’ staples earlier in his career, finishing in the top 28 for 12 years running between 1996 and 2007. That included three victories — in 2000, 2005 and 2006 — but injuries, loss of form and off-course issues have seen him appear much less regularly in recent years.
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Since 2008, Woods has missed six of 15 Open Championships, and last came close to the top of the billing in 2018. But returning to the Old Course at Royal Troon for the first time since 2004 — the year before his back-to-back wins — who knows what Tiger has in store for the Championship’s 152nd edition?
As a three-time winner of the Open Championship, Woods was listed amongst the 20-strong list of former champions invited back as part of the 156-player field at Royal Troon for this year’s tournament, and barring a last-minute withdrawal will tee off with his compatriots on Thursday, July 18.
Woods was a major miss at The Players’ Championship — golf’s unofficial “fifth major” — earlier this year, but has put his latest injury woes behind him and will be one of the 156-strong field going into this weekend’s Open.
He attempted to play at the Genesis Invitational in February, just before the Players’ Championship in mid-March, but was forced to withdraw due to illness in the second round.
Since then though, Woods has appeared at a number of headline events, most notably the Masters, where he made the cut and finished 60th in the process.
Hardly a noteworthy accolade for a man who has worn the green jacket on five occasions, but by making the cut for the 24th year in a row (since 1997!), Woods broke the record of 23 consecutive cuts made held by Fred Couples and Gary Player.
Woods also played in 2024’s other two majors — the U.S. PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Ky., and the U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2 in North Carolina — and missed the cut at both.
Three Open Championship victories on U.K. shores contribute to Woods’ astounding 15 major victories.
After securing back-to-back victories in 2005 and 2006 on top of his maiden title at St. Andrews in 2000, Woods hasn’t been in the winners’ circle at the Open Championship, with his best finish being a tie for third in 2012.
Since a respectable tie for sixth in 2018, Woods hasn’t fared well at the Open Championship, missing the cut in 2019 and 2022 and not appearing at either of the 2021 or 2023 tournaments.
Here is a look at all of Woods’ finishes at the British Open, excluding years he didn’t compete:
Year | Finish | Course |
1995 | Tied 68th | St. Andrews |
1996 | Tied 22nd | Royal Lytham & St. Annes |
1997 | Tied 24th | Royal Troon |
1998 | 3rd | Royal Birkdale |
1999 | Tied 7th | Carnoustie |
2000 | Winner | St. Andrews |
2001 | Tied 25th | Royal Lytham & St. Annes |
2002 | Tied 28th | Muirfield |
2003 | Tied 4th | Royal St. George’s |
2004 | Tied 9th | Royal Troon |
2005 | Winner (2nd Title) | St. Andrews |
2006 | Winner (3rd Title) | Royal Liverpool |
2007 | Tied 12th | Carnoustie |
2009 | Missed halfway cut | Turnberry |
2010 | Tied 23rd | St. Andrews |
2012 | Tied 3rd | Royal Lytham & St. Annes |
2013 | Tied 6th | Muirfield |
2014 | 69th | Royal Liverpool |
2015 | Missed cut | St. Andrews |
2018 | Tied 6th | Carnoustie |
2019 | Missed cut | Royal Portrush |
2022 | Missed cut | St. Andrews |