Tiger Woods Arrives at Royal Troon to Begin Preparing for British Open

Woods has played just nine competitive rounds in 2024 and missed the cut at the U.S. Open and PGA Championship.

Tiger Woods, pictured at last month's U.S. Open, has arrived at Royal Troon for the British Open. / John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

TROON, Scotland — After an overnight flight from Florida, Tiger Woods arrived at Royal Troon on Sunday afternoon to begin on-course preparations for the British Open, which begins Thursday.

It is his first visit to the course in 20 years since playing in the Open here in 2004 and he got a look at the entire course, rare for him in pre-tournament practice rounds.

Tiger on the par-5 sixth at Royal Troon. At 623 yards it is the longest in the Open rota. pic.twitter.com/58IncsSaM0

— Bob Harig (@BobHarig) July 14, 2024

Woods, 48, has played just nine competitive rounds in 2024, having missed the cut last month at the U.S. Open and also in May at the PGA Championship as he has struggled to gain any form amid his limited starts.

This will be Woods’s 23rd Open, with victories coming in 2000, 2005 and 2006. He missed the Open at Royal Troon won by Henrik Stenson due to back issues that eventually led to spinal fusion surgery the following year.

The 15-time major champion has started just 10 events worldwide since a February 2021 car crash severely injured his lower right leg.

Woods said at the U.S. Open that the Open at Royal Troon would be his last event of this season. It is unclear if Woods plans to play any in the fall.

In his two previous Opens at Royal Troon, Woods tied for 24th in 1997—the year he won his first Masters. And he tied for ninth in 2004, when Todd Hamilton defeated Ernie Els in a playoff.

Among others who were at Royal Troon for practice rounds on Sunday were No. 1-ranked Scottie Scheffler, Sam Burns, Will Zalatoris, Jordan Spieth, Rickie Fowler, Hideki Matsuyama, Ryan Fox and Lucas Glover.