Tiger Woods Talks Status for 2026 Masters Amid Injury Rehab, 'We'll See How it Goes'

After making his return to competitive golf in the TGL Finals on Tuesday night, Tiger Woods expressed his desire to play in the 2026 Masters next month.

Speaking to reporters after his Jupiter Links fell 9-2 to the Los Angeles Golf Club, Tiger discussed where he stands physically and what his plans are for the next couple of weeks.

"This body ... it doesn't recover like it did when it was 24, 25. It doesn't mean I'm not trying," Woods said. "I've had a couple bad injuries here over the past years that I've had to fight through and it's taken some time. But I keep trying.

"I want to play. I love the tournament. I'm going to be there either way with The Loop [a short course he designed] that's going up there, as well as the champions dinner. ... We'll see how it goes. I'll be practicing, playing at home this week and keep trying to make progress."

Before Tuesday, it had been about one full year since Woods last played in a TGL match. He tore his Achilles last March and then underwent his seventh back surgery in October.

While the 50-year-old veteran was able to hold up over the course of a TGL match, it is an entirely different question regarding whether he can endure the rigors of a major tournament for two rounds, let alone four.

Woods has not played on the PGA Tour in any capacity since the 2024 Open Championship, which marked his third consecutive missed cut at a major tournament.

The 15-time major winner has not made the cut at a major since the 2024 Masters when he finished 60th, and he has not logged a top-20 finish at a major since his shocking Masters win in 2019.

Numerous injuries have taken their toll on Woods over the past several years, which suggests his days of contending for major titles are over.

However, Tiger is still the biggest and most popular star in golf, and there is little doubt that the PGA Tour would benefit greatly from his presence at Augusta National for the 2026 Masters starting on April 9.