PGA Tour Rival Challenges Tiger Woods to ‘Get His A** Back in Shape’ Amid Injury Hiatus

Tiger Woods may be sidelined with a ruptured Achilles, but he’s hardly idle. While his return to competition remains uncertain, Woods has stepped into a bigger role off the course, leading the PGA Tour’s new Future Competitions Committee. His absence leaves fans waiting, and rivals eager for the day he tees it up again.

One of them is Ernie Els, who is counting down the days until Woods turns eligible for the PGA Tour Champions. “Beat us again … if you can,” Els says in a message to Tiger Woods. Els himself is coming down from the high of finishing 2nd at last week’s 2025 Ally Challenge. So, the spirit is the same, only Woods is absent. But what happens when Woods decides to go head-to-head with him on any given day?

Els says he will take him down. Or, at least, hopes so. “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 shape. You can ride a cart without any shame and if there was one guy that should be able to drive a cart, it’s him. And he can get his a** back in shape.”

In fact, Els says Tiger Woods doesn’t have to bother himself shooting scores in the 70s at the Tour; he can just “shoot 66 (on the Champions Tour). Get your confidence up, make those birdie putts under the gun.” And their history does make it sound like a tempting offer.

Back at the 2000 Mercedes Championships, they both eagled the final hole to force a playoff. Woods ultimately won with a long birdie putt on the second extra hole. Three years down the line, it happened again at the 2003 Presidents Cup. They locked in a playoff, but eventually agreed to a tie after matching each other on the first three holes.

On the other hand, Els isn’t the only one hoping Tiger Woods quickly makes it to the PGA Tour Champions. Bernhard Langer, for one thing, said, “It would be a thrill to see Tiger come out and play the Champions Tour.” For old time’s sake, we hope Woods is listening.

Regardless, at the 2023 Masters, Woods did hint that he himself will start his work on the Tour Champions in a few years: “I’ve got three more years, where I get the little buggy and be out there with Fred (Couples).” But when it comes to Els, why is the pro so eager to play alongside Tiger Woods again? Well, that’s thanks to the intensity Woods brings to the course.

The world needs to see peak Tiger Woods performance, hints Ernie Els

Tiger Woods and Ernie Els have had a long-standing rivalry on the golf course, facing off 20 times in PGA Tour events. Their most recent showdown was as captains of opposing Presidents Cup teams in 2019, with Woods’s U.S. team coming out on top. Given their history, you can bet Els is the perfect guy to ask what made Tiger Woods so much different than the other tough pros on the field.

And, according to Els, Woods’s intensity is what sets him apart. In an interview with Golf’s Subpar Podcast, Els shared,  “On the first tee he was ready to go. He was ready to absolutely strangle the golf course and get to the field eventually and really take down the tournament. He wasn’t there to mess around. He didn’t play too many events but when he played he was ready to go.” Well, that certainly did help Woods clinch 15 majors.

Els recalled that while you could engage in small talk with Woods on the range or practice green, once the round began, he was all business. “He was absolutely focused on his job,” Els said. “That is one thing that separated him then and still separates him today. I don’t see that intensity from other competitors before the first round on the first tee.”

Well, that explains why Els and his fellow pros are hoping Woods joins them on the senior tour. And quick.