Tiger Woods rejects retirement despite US PGA struggles

Tiger Woods, a fifteen-time major winner, remains determined to continue his career despite a disappointing performance at the 106th US PGA Championship, which reignited discussions about his potential retirement.

Woods, 48, missed the cut at Valhalla, where he previously triumphed in 2000, finishing seven-over and placing 133rd out of 156 competitors, including 20 club professionals. His two triple-bogey sevens early in his second round epitomized his struggles.

Woods fell six shots short of qualifying for the final rounds, and following his last-place finish among those who made the cut at the Masters, calls for his retirement surged on social media.

Experts also joined the chorus, with former coach Nick Bradley and golf legend Colin Montgomerie expressing their views. Montgomerie suggested that Woods should have retired after his emotional farewell at St. Andrews. Bradley likened Woods's situation to Muhammad Ali's extended career, warning that Woods risks tarnishing his legacy.

Despite these criticisms, Woods insists he will continue to compete, emphasizing his desire to exit on his own terms. Since his car crash in February 2021, which nearly cost him his right leg,

Woods has played in seven official tournaments but only completed two, with a best finish of 47th. Nevertheless, he remains committed to fighting on, driven by an unwavering work ethic and determination.

"Just keep fighting," Woods stated. "Keep the pedal on, keep fighting, keep grinding, keep working hard at posting the best score that I can possibly post. That’s all I can do. It’s going to be a lot [of work], but I’m going to fight until the end."

Woods found some positives in his Valhalla performance, noting improvements in his driving and overall fitness compared to his condition at Augusta.

He acknowledged the need to "clean up" his rounds but felt optimistic about his physical progress. With only three weeks until the US Open at Pinehurst, Woods faces a tight timeline to refine his game while managing his physical limitations.

"It will, in time," Woods said about improving his golf. "I just need to play more. Unfortunately, I just haven’t played a whole lot of tournaments, and [there are] not a whole lot of tournaments on my schedule either."

Adding to his challenges is his involvement in negotiating peace between the PGA Tour's warring factions, a role he finds exhausting due to the extensive late-night meetings and communications.

Looking ahead, Woods's primary goal for 2024 is to compete in all four major tournaments, a feat he hasn't achieved in five years. Achieving this would represent a small yet significant victory for the golf icon, currently ranked 807th in the world.