15 June 2024 , 23:00
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Tiger Woods' future in professional golf once again became a huge talking point this week, after the 15-time major champion admitted he may have played his last U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2.
It proved to be another difficult outing for the great Woods on the major stage, who was making just his fourth start of 2024 after moving to a part-time playing schedule. Woods has been forced to limit his playing time in recent years, having suffered career-threatening injuries in a car accident in February 2021.
Since then, the American has made just 10 competitive starts in over three years, with the latest coming at the U.S. Open. Sadly for Woods his trip to North Carolina was short-lived though, after missing the cut on Friday.
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Having kicked off his week with a four-over-par 74 in Thursday's opening round, the testing Pinehurst conditions got the better of Woods, who ended the second round at seven-over for the tournament, missing the cut by two. In the aftermath a deflated Woods cast doubt over his future in the event.
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"It’s one of those things where in order to win a golf tournament, you have to make the cut,” Woods told reporters. “I can't win the tournament from where I'm at, so it certainly is frustrating. 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.”
This sparked debate as to whether the 48-year-old was in fact contemplating retirement from the professional game, having failed to replicate the form that made him arguably golf's greatest players since the turn the century.
Woods is struggling to compete in golf's biggest events (Getty Images)Woods previously addressed his future at the Genesis Invitational in February, where he was forced to withdraw partway through the second round due to illness. Despite his struggles that week, and throughout his recent run, the tournament host revealed the buzz to still continue to compete remained.
"I still love competing, I love playing, I love being a part of the game of golf," he said earlier this year. "This is the game of a lifetime and I don't ever want to stop playing. I love being able to compete, I love being able to enjoy different conversations from across time... I love that and I don't ever want to lose that."
As well as his withdrawal at the Genesis, Woods competed in this year's Masters in April, once again writing his name into the history books by making a record-breaking 24th consecutive cut at Augusta National. A day later however he was breaking records for all the wrong reasons, after shooting the worst round of his major career.
In May his attention turned to the PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club, but it proved to be a week to forget after the four-time winner missed the cut. Having seen his week end early in North Carolina on Friday, Woods' next outing will come at next month's Open Championship.