I’m honored to receive this exemption and could not be more excited for the opportunity to compete in this year’s US Open, especially at Pinehurst, a venue that means so much to the game.” stated Tiger Woods, as he received a special exemption for the 124th edition of the U.S. Open. The 48-year-old will be returning to the event after last appearing in the 2020 edition. However, is Woods’s participation in the third major of the season in jeopardy? Recent news regarding the movement of Woods’s private jet has led fans to speculate about his status.
On Tuesday a day before the commencement of the major Woods was awarded the prestigious Bob Jones Award. Woods gave an emotional acceptance speech as he attributed his success in golf to his mother, Kultida Woods. However, right after the ceremony, it was reported that Woods, or rather his plane, had traveled back to Orlando, Florida. The Rader Atlas posted the details about the flight.
The page @radaratlas2 tweeted a photo that showed Woods’s jet taking a trip from Pinehurst to Orlando. The tweet consisted of a caption that stated, “Tiger Woods’ airplane #N517TW left Pinehurst today and landed in Orlando. Unsure why.“However, it was not confirmed if Woods had boarded the plane as well. Nonetheless, it made the golf world speculate over the 15-time major champion’s presence at Pinehurst and if he would be continuing the major.
Moreover, Woods had taken a day off from practice yesterday, which further fueled the speculation. However, Junior Woods clarified his absence and gave an update to Mike Tiricio. Regardless, the golf fans’ speculations about Tiger Woods were still coming off.
Golf fans joke about Tiger Woods’s performance at the majors
Tiger Woods has played three events in the 2024 season so far, completing only one (the 2024 Masters) and he missed the cut at the PGA Championship. A fan took a dig at Woods’s ordinary performance in 2024 and jokingly said, “Overheard the pilot say see ya Sunday, otherwise you are walking home if you miss the cut.” Another enthusiast chimed in to share a similar stance on the 48-year-old’s recent gameplay. They commented about him only making it to the second day and being concerned for the crew. They said, “He won’t need the plane till Friday. Why make the crew just sit around. He let them go home for a couple of days.”
When Woods teed up at his first event of the year, the Genesis Invitational, the expectations were high for the 15-time major winner. However, on day two, Woods withdrew from the event, citing the flu hampering his plans. Moreover, in the past few years, Woods had withdrawn from many events, including the 2023 Masters. Seeing the jet in Orlando, this user assumed. “Maybe a WD???”
On Tuesday night, Woods received the Bob Jones Award, and his mother and children were present. While Charlie Woods joined the golfer on the greens to help him, his daughter, Sam, and Kutilda Woods probably went home. This fan thought it was the case as they commented, “Mom came for the ceremony last night, taking her home.”
Many have doubted Woods’s capability to make the cut after he missed it at the PGA Championship, the second major of the season. Fans also speculated that the 82-time PGA Tour winner might miss the U.S. Open cut and that he was giving his crew a break. However, this fan believed otherwise.“He won’t need the plane until Monday. He’s spending the weekend.”
There have been no reports of Tiger Woods withdrawing from Pinehurst No. 2, and his tee time for the first round has been set. Therefore, his plane’s trip to Orlando does not indicate a withdrawal. What do you think could be the the reason behind Woods’s private jet flying back to Orlando? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
