Tiger Woods challenged by golf legend as big | Golf News

Former World No. 1 Ernie Els has thrown down the gauntlet to Tiger Woods, declaring “beat us again… if you can” as the golf legend approaches eligibility for the PGA Tour Champions.

Woods, 49, will develop into eligible for the senior circuit when he turns 50 on Dec. 30, with the tour solely for golfers aged 50 and above. The 15-time major champion beforehand advised he would possibly transition to the senior tour following his missed cut at last yr’s U.S. Open.

Since that disappointing efficiency, Woods hasn’t teed up in a single PGA Tour event. Back surgical procedure in September sidelined him for the latter half of last season, while a torn Achilles in March utterly derailed any comeback plans for 2025.

This has restricted Woods to merely 13 event appearances over the past 5 years, none ensuing in a top 25 end. The struggles embody lacking the cut in 4 of his last six major championship outings, compounding his ongoing frustrations.

Nevertheless, reaching the half-century mark might signal a recent start for Woods on the Champions Tour. With his ambition to compete in all major championships plus one or two extra occasions yearly, transitioning to the 54-hole format might show advantageous going ahead.

Should Woods select this path, Els would embrace his arrival enthusiastically, though the South African has already delivered his warning shot. “Beat us again … if you can,” Els declared to Golf Week.

When questioned about whether or not he thinks Woods will be part of the over-50s circuit, he continued: “I hope so. I’ve said, please come play. And I think it can only be beneficial to him.

“He will get himself in golf form. You can experience a cart without any disgrace and if there was one man that ought to find a way to drive a cart, it is him. And he can get his a** back in form.”

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Speaking last year, fellow golfer Padraig Harrington suggested that Woods might target a historic Grand Slam of U.S. Open victories by entering the PGA Tour Champions.

No golfer has ever secured the U.S. Junior Amateur, U.S. Amateur, U.S. Open, and U.S. Senior Open during their career, and if Woods were to chase this distinctive Grand Slam, he would become the most decorated USGA Champion in history.

“He’d love to win that Grand Slam and get some of the other senior majors on his CV,” Seniors star Harrington told Golfweek in 2024.

“I noticed him at the [PNC Championship] and we had been just crossing paths and he laughed at me. I will not say precisely what he said, but the gist of it was he cannot wait to get out and beat me.

“Taking a cart changes everything for him,” 2006 U.S. Open champion Geoff Ogilvy added at the time. “Interest both from fans and sponsors is going to be through the roof.

“I believe there’s a good likelihood that Champions Tour scores can top the PGA Tour when he decides to play. And what else is he going to?”.