Anyone who has turned fifty can tell you it’s a strange age — you’re far from old, yet your internal GPS signals that you’re not as youthful as you once were.
Most people, including this writer, were in denial when the AARP card arrived in the mail, and we resisted the urge to ask for a senior discount we are now entitled to.
In professional golf, turning fifty offers a new beginning, as players join the PGA Tour Champions, originally known as the “Senior Tour.” Most events are just three rounds with no cuts or Official World Golf Rankings to worry about. Does that sound familiar?
As the greatest golfer of our time celebrated his 50th birthday on Dec. 30, fans are eager to find out when Tiger Woods will make his debut. Your guess is just as uncertain as ours, given his ongoing recovery from the latest of his 20 or more surgeries.
“He’s not going to show up and play unless he feels like he’s healthy enough to do it and ready to go,” said 17-time PGA Tour winner Jim Furyk. “If and when he does show up, he’s going to be extremely competitive as always. It’s just longevity, the walking, he looks a lot better in recent years, earlier, than late in the week.”
That’s where 54-hole events come into play, with 25 percent less walking. World Golf Hall of Famer Padraig Harrington of Ireland says that takes some getting used to.
“So, with three rounds and no cut, many happy returns; a lot of guys think they have a couple of rounds to get to moving day or whatever. Well, you don’t,” said the three-time Major winner. “You’ve got to get started as quickly as you can. If you’re not three under par after nine holes on day one, you are really going to feel it. Time flies, but I’ll tell you something, mentally it’s enjoyable.”
Both Furyk and Harrington reminded me that the game’s most dominant player doesn’t need their advice. It’s not that the 15-time Major winner has more to prove, or does he?
“Those players on the Champions Tour play really well. We’ll have to wait and see what Tiger decides to do,” said his longtime friend, former Isleworth neighbor, and two-time Major winner Mark O’Meara. “I think deep down inside, he loves to set records. And, you know, being a guy who’s won a U.S. Junior, a U.S. Amateur, a U.S. Open, and nobody’s ever won all three plus a U.S. Senior Open Championship. So, I’d imagine he’s aiming for that too.”
One clear theme emerging from my conversations with these and other legends is the importance of health for success.
After turning 50, Germany’s Bernhard Langer set a new standard as the most successful player in the 45-year history of the PGA Tour Champions. He’s won 12 Senior Majors to complement his two green jackets from Augusta National.
Now 68, Langer did not win last season, ending a streak of at least one victory every year since his 2007 debut. He did finish tied for second place in one 2025 event, no doubt a testament to his fitness routine and the fact that he’s never jumped out of a perfectly functioning airplane or sustained severe injuries in a horrific car accident like Woods.
“Tiger may not have the capability only because of his injuries and everything he’s going through. You need to be in very good health to play the game and succeed. It’s very tough even when you’re healthy, and it’s no fun playing with pain,” Langer said. “Tiger is a very fit person. He trains and works out maybe more than anyone else. He’s got a very strong body, but he’s also had many surgeries. So, I don’t know how that affects him. We all hope he will recover fully, and hopefully he’ll play some on our tour.”
Fred Couples has long been a friend and confidant of Woods. He’s won 15 times on the PGA Tour, including The Masters and twice at The Players, and has another 14 victories over the elite over-50 professionals.
“You can’t look back once you go on the Champions Tour and think, oh, I think I’m good enough to play the regular tour,” Couples said. “It becomes difficult because our courses are easier, and maybe the greens are a little slower.”
Still, the competition remains as fierce as ever.
“I know that when I’m rusty and go out to play, trying to beat Ernie Els, Retief Goosen, or Steven Alker, I don’t stand a chance,” Couples added. “So, then I go home and think, you know what? That was embarrassing. Now I have to practice, whether it’s for five days in a row, and eventually you hit a small spark and do well.”
Whenever and wherever Woods chooses to appear, his arrival will be important, according to Furyk, who hosts an exceptional event with his wife, Tabitha, every October in Florida.
After five years in Jacksonville, the Constellation Furyk and Friends is moving about 68 miles south to Hammock Beach Golf Resort & Spa in Palm Coast. There is no doubt that Tiger would be a most welcome addition to the field.
“Having him play in our event would be massive,” Furyk added. “Knowing months in advance would be really huge too, so that everyone can prepare.”
Tiger attracts tremendous crowds and boosts viewership ratings, bringing unmatched excitement throughout his career, dating back to his rookie-season PGA Tour victories in Las Vegas and at Walt Disney World 29 years ago, on the way to becoming one of only six players to achieve a career grand slam.
Maybe we’re all underestimating whether he’s ready for the next phase of his golf career. Perhaps we should consider if the PGA Tour Champions is prepared for him.
