Open Championship Tiger Woods

Tiger Woods will miss next month’s British Open at the Royal Liverpool course as the American star recovers from surgery. Photo: EPA/ROBERT PERRY

Tiger Woods: No more Majors in 2023

Tiger Woods is almost certainly going to spend the rest of the 2023 Major golf season on the sidelines after more surgery.

Open Championship Tiger Woods

Tiger Woods will miss next month’s British Open at the Royal Liverpool course as the American star recovers from surgery. Photo: EPA/ROBERT PERRY

Tiger Woods is almost certainly going to spend the rest of the 2023 Major golf season on the sidelines after more surgery.

He had an operation on Wednesday in New York to correct an arthritis issue from a previous ankle fracture.

Early reports suggest he can’t play for at least six months.

“Earlier today, Tiger underwent a subtalar fusion procedure to address his post-traumatic arthritis from his previous talus fracture,” said a statement on Woods’ social media channels.

“It was performed by Dr Martin O’Malley at HSS Sports Medicine Institute in New York. He has determined the surgery to be successful. Tiger is recovering and looks forward to beginning his rehabilitation.”

ALSO READ: Major golf in 2023: When are they and who can play?

Tiger Woods has barely played since hurting his leg in a car accident in Los Angeles in February 2021.

He made the cut at the Masters earlier this month but withdrew needing to play 29 holes in the cold, wet and windy conditions on the final day.

MAJOR GOLF SEASON OVER FOR TIGER WOODS

ALSO READ: Explained: Louis Oosthuizen may never play the Masters again

Oak Hill Country Club hosts the PGA Championship from May 18-21.

The US Open at Los Angeles Country Club from June 15-18.

Royal Liverpool hosts The 151st Open Championship from July 20-23.

WHO CAN PLAY IN THE MAJORS?

LIV Golf members will compete in all four majors, providing they are exempt, meaning there are at least three more opportunities this year for them to go toe to toe with their PGA Tour counterparts.

ALSO READ: The Masters: Nine surprising players to miss the cut

But how do they qualify?

Let’s take Louis Oosthuizen for example. He played the 2023 Masters after last year’s world ranking but he has since dropped out of the top 50 that gets into the Masters. At the cut-off date, he will also be outside the top 100 for the PGA Championship and will also not automatically make it into the US Open.

There are some qualifying sections around the world for both the US Open and the British Open.

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Oosthuizen can play The Open in July because he is a former winner. So he will need a great performance in England if he is to make into the Majors next season.

This is all based on LIV Golf players continuing not to qualify for world ranking points.

The Masters and Open Championship require being in the top 50 on the Official World Golf Ranking. The US Open the top 60. The PGA provides the likely easiest path as their “special exemptions” are likely to include the top 100. 

“The controversy of LIV was they only play three rounds, they haven’t played that many tournaments, these guys aren’t tested, but three of the top four were LIV players,” Butch Harmon told Sky Sports. “You’ve got Mickelson, you’ve got Patrick Reed – these are all the stars over on the LIV tour.

“They’ve proved to the world of golf they can compete with the rest of the players around the world. Yes, it’s a different league and it’s a different type of golf, but great players are great players, I don’t care where they play.”

ALSO READ: The Masters: Interview with Charl Schwartzel

Jon Rahm Masters
Spain’s Jon Rahm won The Masters by four strokes after shooting a three-under-par final round 69 at Augusta National. Photo: Twitter @TheMasters

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