Woods exits US Open, says it ‘may or may not be’ his last

Tiger Woods’ latest bid for a major championship ended in disappointment as he missed the cut at the U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2. Woods shot a 3-over 73 on Friday, bringing his total to 7-over for the tournament, which fell short of the projected cut line.

This marks the sixth time in the last eight major championships that Woods has either missed the cut or withdrawn. He has not made the cut at the U.S. Open since 2019, his only successful cut at this event in the past decade. Despite battling numerous injuries and off-course challenges in recent years, Woods seemed in better physical condition on Friday, even in the sweltering North Carolina heat. However, his struggles to consistently play into the weekend persist.

After completing his round, Woods reflected on his performance, noting, “It was probably the highest score I could have possibly shot today. I hit a lot of good shots that just didn’t go my way, or I hit good putts, and then I put myself in a couple of bad spots with some bad lag putts.”

Woods’ performance on Friday showed promise early on, but it wasn’t enough to recover from a tough opening round on Thursday, where he shot a 4-over 74, marred by six bogeys. His round included a difficult stretch where he made five bogeys over seven holes.

“This course can quickly go the wrong way,” Woods said on Thursday. “It’s just so hard to get back. This is a golf course that doesn’t give up a whole lot of birdies. It gives up a lot of bogeys and higher.”

Woods opened Friday with a birdie in his first four holes and had several near-misses on birdie attempts later in the round. At the 13th hole, he narrowly missed a birdie putt, and at the 15th, a promising birdie chance lipped out, leaving him visibly frustrated. His game started to unravel on the 16th hole when his drive landed in the trees, leading to a bogey after missing a 12-foot par putt. This left him at 7-over, effectively ending his U.S. Open bid.

Woods confirmed that he will compete in the British Open next month, but beyond that, his schedule remains uncertain.

“In order to win a golf tournament, you have to make the cut. I can’t win the tournament from where I’m at, so it certainly is frustrating,” Woods said. “I thought I played well enough to be up there in contention. It just didn’t work out. As far as my last Open Championship or U.S. Open Championship, I don’t know what that is. It may or may not be.”

Woods’ future in competitive golf remains uncertain as he continues to grapple with the challenges of maintaining form and fitness amidst a career marked by both extraordinary success and profound difficulties.