Tiger Woods and PGA Tour Can’t Afford to Overlook Ernie Els’s Harsh Challenge – Report

When was the last time you got genuinely excited about Tiger Woods competing? If you’re struggling to remember, you’re not alone. Ernie Els noticed the same thing, and his blunt challenge to Woods is exactly the wake-up call everyone needed to hear.

“Beat us again … if you can,” Els declared at a Jupiter, Florida, ceremony in August. The South African wasn’t just throwing down a gauntlet. He was offering Woods a lifeline back to competitive golf.

Els issued his challenge as Woods approaches his 50th birthday on December 30, 2025. This milestone makes Woods eligible for the PGA Tour Champions in 2026. The timing couldn’t be more perfect.

And professional golfers understand something casual fans might miss. Competition breeds excellence, even in challenging times. Nick O’Hern and Mark Allen discussed on the “Talk Birdie To Me” podcast, this exact point. “He’s better off playing in a Champions Tour event and contending than finishing 60-something on the regular tour and hurting himself,” one host explained during Episode 162. The logic makes perfect sense when you consider Woods’s recent struggles.

Woods finished 60th and last among those making the cut at the 2024 Masters. Additionally, he missed three consecutive major championship cuts. His body clearly can’t handle the physical demands of regular tour competition anymore.

O’Hern, who famously beat Woods twice in professional matchplay during his own tour career, emphasized the mental benefits. “You find out more about your game trying to win a tournament than you ever will,” he noted. The Champions Tour offers Woods something invaluable. He can “get sharp for when he needs to get sharp, which is what he always used to do,” according to the podcast discussion.

Woods needs to “get those feels back with the new body that he’s got, which is probably only 50% of what it used to be,” Allen observed. The Champions Tour provides the perfect environment for this rehabilitation process. Els understands this completely. He’s currently ranked No. 5 on the Champions Tour after winning seven events since joining in 2020.

Moreover, other senior golfers also look forward to having Woods on the Champions Tour. In February, John Daly expressed excitement to the idea, “It would be a thrill to see Tiger come out and play the Champions Tour and I’m convinced he will play several.” Even fellow rival Bernhard Langer looks forward ot it, “He’s a very exciting personality to watch, and it would be fantastic for Tiger and for our tour to be competing out there, and I think all the players would welcome him.”

Els explains that Woods can focus on building confidence rather than being in survival mode.

The Viewership and Commercial Impact Everyone Wins

Television ratings tell the story of Woods’ magnetic appeal. The podcasters couldn’t contain their excitement as they discussed this potential scenario. “The ratings would go through the roof, the money would go up, and everyone would be very happy,” they predicted. Their enthusiasm reflects a broader industry truth.

Regular PGA Tour events average 3.1 million viewers on CBS and NBC. However, Champions Tour events draw significantly smaller audiences. Woods changes this equation immediately. The hosts posed a hypothetical question that reveals everything. Would you rather watch a regular tour event or Tiger competing for a Champions Tour title? “I’m watching Tiger Woods try to win the champions tour,” came the instant response.

This reaction captures Woods’ unique power in professional golf. “There’s only one guy in my lifetime that ever moved the needle,” O’Hern declared. “No one moves it like Tiger. No one does.” Norman moved the needle during his era, they acknowledged. Spieth generates excitement when he’s in a competitive situation. John Daly creates unpredictable drama. Nevertheless, Woods operates on a completely different level.

The commercial benefits extend beyond television ratings. Prize money would increase across Champions Tour events. Sponsorship opportunities would multiply. Tournament attendance would skyrocket. Els and his fellow competitors understand this reality perfectly. They want Woods on their tour because everyone benefits from his presence. Woods’ 2025 absence from tour play, following his Achilles injury, makes Els’s challenge even more compelling. The Champions Tour could provide the perfect comeback vehicle for golf’s most significant competitor.

The question remains whether Woods will accept this challenge and reignite one of golf’s most memorable rivalries.