Tiger Woods Talks Challenge of 2025 U.S. Open, Says Oakmont 'Favors Longer Hitters'

Tiger Woods gave his take on who the course will favor when the 2025 U.S. Open is played at Oakmont Country Club in Oakmont, Pennsylvania, this week.

In a video posted on his Instagram (h/t ESPN), Woods expressed his belief that big hitters off the tee will have an advantage over the rest of the field:

"There is no faking about Oakmont. The golf course is big, yes, but it's just—there is no way around it. You just have to hit the golf ball well, and it favors longer hitters, just because of the degrees, the complexes.

"It just helps so much to be coming with shorter iron, to be able to sock the ball. It's about missing the ball on correct spots ... because if you don't, it's horrible!"

Woods, 49, is arguably the greatest golfer of all time, as his 82 career PGA Tour wins are tied for the most all time, and his 15 major titles are second only to Jack Nicklaus.

Among Tiger's 15 majors, three came at the U.S. Open, so he has a strong grasp of how U.S. Open courses typically play.

Although injuries have taken a severe toll on Woods' body over the past several years, few golfers could out-drive him during his prime, which is a big reason why he enjoyed so much success.

Length off the tee is still a key component of winning golf tournaments today, and recent results have confirmed as much.

Rory McIlroy, who is the No. 2-ranked golfer in the world, is ranked third on the PGA Tour this season with an average drive length of 319.2 yards. He used that to his advantage when he won the 2025 Masters to complete the career Grand Slam.

Bryson DeChambeau leads LIV Golf with an average driving distance of 331.9 yards this season, and it is no coincidence that he is a two-time U.S. Open champion.

Aside from world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, DeChambeau is arguably the golfer to beat this week at Oakmont, as he is the defending U.S. Open champion and the biggest hitter in the sport.

Woods won't play this week at Oakmont as he continues to rehab a torn Achilles suffered in March, but he figures to keep a close eye on the U.S. Open to see if his theory proves true.