Tiger Woods misses all 2026 golf majors - second year in a row

Tiger Woods will not be taking part in any of the four major tournaments this year. After the 50-year-old American had already missed the first two events of the season - the Masters in Augusta and the PGA Championship - it is now clear that he is neither eligible to compete in the U.S. Open in Shinnecock Hills nor has he registered for the Open Championship in Royal Birkdale before the entry deadline. It is the second year in a row that Woods has not been represented at one of golf's most important tournaments.

Tiger Woods: The current status

Woods is not eligible to compete in the U.S. Open; no exemption has been granted. He missed the entry deadline for the Open Championship in Royal Birkdale. This means that the 2026 Major year is over for the record winner in sporting terms before it has even begun for him. He has been undergoing medical treatment in Zurich for weeks - rehab that is reportedly scheduled to last around three months. In the meantime, he briefly returned to Florida, but then traveled back to Switzerland to continue his treatment.

The trigger: accident and arrest in March

The turning point of the year occurred on March 27 near his home in Jupiter, Florida. Woods was involved in a car accident and was arrested at the scene. The charge: driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. According to the authorities, he failed a sobriety test and refused a urine test. Two hydrocodone tablets were also found on him during the check.

Four days after the incident, Woods spoke out publicly for the first time. In a written statement on March 31, he explained:

"I know and understand the gravity of the situation I find myself in today. I am taking some time off to seek treatment and focus on my health. This is necessary in order to prioritize my well-being and work towards a lasting recovery. I am determined to take the time I need to return to a healthier, stronger and more focused place - personally and professionally. I appreciate your understanding and support and ask for privacy for my family, loved ones and myself." (Tiger Woods, statement dated March 31, 2026)

The following day, a judge in Martin County, Florida, approved his request to travel abroad. Woods subsequently traveled to Zurich.

The legal situation

Woods has pleaded not guilty. The charges include driving under the influence with property damage and refusing to take a legally required test. On May 12, a judge ruled that prosecutors may have access to Woods' drug records. However, the court simultaneously approved a protective order preventing the relevant documents from being made public. Woods' lawyers had argued for such a ruling.

According to reports, Woods temporarily interrupted his stay in Switzerland to return to Florida - for personal reasons: His partner Vanessa Trump, ex-daughter-in-law of US President Donald Trump, was reportedly diagnosed with breast cancer. Shortly afterwards, his private jet was tracked back to Switzerland.

Sporting context: a career in the fight against the body

The events of this spring are the low point of a long history of suffering. Since a serious car accident in February 2021, in which Woods severely injured his right leg, his sporting career has been characterized by injuries, operations and setbacks.

In October 2025, he underwent another procedure - disc surgery on his lumbar spine, his seventh back operation. After that, a return at the 2026 Masters seemed at least conceivable. However, his arrest in March put an abrupt end to these plans.

Woods had already missed the entire year in 2025 - back then due to a torn Achilles tendon he suffered in March 2025. Since the accident in 2021, he has only competed in eight majors: He retired from two of them and missed the cut in four others - including his last three major starts in 2024. The low point of this phase was his opening round at the 2024 Masters, when he played the worst major round of his professional career with an 82 and finished the tournament ten strokes over par. His last appearance on a tournament course dates back to the 2024 Open Championship in Troon - where he also missed the cut.

Historical classification: the gap to Nicklaus is growing

The continued absence also has a historical dimension. Woods holds 15 major titles - more than any other golfer in the history of the sport, with the exception of Jack Nicklaus, who won 18 majors. Woods last triumphed at the 2019 Masters, when he won his fifth Augusta title at the age of 43 in one of the most remarkable sporting comebacks of all time. He has been without a major win since then.

With eight consecutive missed majors, Woods has now reached a negative mark that he last set between 2016 and 2017 - at that time also due to a series of back operations. The gap to Nicklaus' record of 18 majors will definitely not be closing this year.

After all, Woods is eligible to compete in the Open Championship until the age of 60 thanks to his three victories. The Masters grants its winners a lifelong invitation - as long as they are deemed to be competitive.

No schedule, little certainty

A return to tournament action is currently not foreseeable. Woods himself has not commented publicly since his statement at the end of March. Those close to him have not given a concrete timetable for a comeback.

USGA President Mike Whan recently expressed his skepticism: he does not expect Woods to compete in a USGA championship in 2026 - including the U.S. Senior Open in early July, for which Woods would be eligible to play for the first time since his 50th birthday.

Speculation about a possible fall appearance was briefly fueled by a poster advertising the Baycurrent Classic in Yokohama (October 8-11), on which Woods was depicted. However, the organizer quickly rowed back and clarified that the picture only showed previous tournament winners. Woods won the tournament in 2019 - then still known as the Zozo Championship - and set Sam Snead's record with his 82nd PGA Tour victory. It was his last ever tournament win to date.

Whether and when Tiger Woods will return to the big stage of professional golf remains to be seen. The question of whether he will once again be able to play at the level of previous years becomes more pressing with every month of his absence.