Tour friend hopes to see Tiger Woods on Champions very soon

Tiger Woods has given no timetable for when -- or even if -- he will return to competitive golf, but at least one close PGA Tour friend hopes to see the 15-time major champion on the course soon.

Woods had back surgery on Oct. 10, which will prevent him from participating in the Hero World Challenge, the Dec. 4-7 tournament he hosts. He is also not currently in the field with his son Charlie for the PNC Championship on Dec. 20-21, an event they have played in together five times.

Shortly thereafter, Woods will turn 50 years old on Dec. 30. That makes him eligible to compete on the Champions Tour beginning with the season-opening event in Hawaii from Jan. 22-24.

"I don't have any idea," Love said ahead of this week's RSM Classic, where he serves as the host for the PGA Tour's fall finale. "Tiger could play major championships and probably be competitive if he could get healthy. I'm hoping he'll play and I hope I see him in Hawaii in January. That would be a nice start to the year."

Of course, Woods has yet to commit to playing in any tournaments, much less what was formerly known as the "Senior Tour." He has not competed since the Open Championship in July 2024, and he also had surgery in March to repair a ruptured Achilles tendon.

Woods, who has undergone a total of seven back surgeries, has committed to attending every match with his team in the indoor TGL, so there is hope he's working toward a return to competition. Love is trying to aid that effort by lobbying to make cart use mandatory at every Champions event -- something permitted at most tournaments but not required.

"I'm pushing for mandatory cart rule on the Champions Tour, so that we have to ride so that everybody, including me, feels comfortable riding," Love said. "I feel bad when I ride. I walked 18 holes yesterday. I'm like, I could have -- on the Champions Tour, I could have ridden half of this round."

Woods is one of a few marquee names who will be eligible to join the Champions circuit during 2026. Another is former Ryder Cup captain Zach Johnson, who turns 50 on Feb. 24.

"I'm hoping these guys come out and play," Love said. "It is a lot of fun."

Whether Love sees Woods on the Champions Tour anytime soon may depend on how healthy Woods becomes. Along with his 15 major titles, Woods is currently tied for the most all-time PGA Tour wins at 82, along with Sam Snead.

Another longtime friend believes that getting to win No. 83 remains a major motivational factor for Woods.

"I never take anything away from the guy. I think in his heart of hearts, 83 is a big number. It's an important number," Notah Begay III said on a recent episode of the ‘Straight Facts Homie' podcast, per GolfMagic.com.

"And I think there's a couple venues that I think could accommodate his current physical condition. I think the biggest problem, in the conversations that I've had with him, is the walking. That's it.

"He hits it great, he's in tremendous physical condition. His ball speeds are fast enough, they're 175-180 which is adequate for the PGA Tour."

--Field Level Media