If there’s one event Tiger Woods refuses to let go of, it is the Masters Tournament. Ever since he started reducing his PGA Tour schedule, Augusta National has become a non-negotiable, except when his health demanded otherwise. Fans are therefore curious to know more about his 2026 plans. And amid that speculation, 4x PGA Tour winner Kevin Kisner has put forward a condition for the Big Cat.

“And I told him, like, if you’re going to play Augusta, you got to play in our final championship match. Like, just a must. Because you can’t just wing it at Augusta and not give us anything. He just laughs at sh– like that so you never get anything out of him,” Kisner said on the Fore Play Podcast.

As he was speaking, the podcast’s host, Samuel “Riggs” Bozoian, said that Woods would have to walk 30 yards to play TGL. That’s when Kevin Kisner came up with the brutal reality check.

“Right. So if you can’t do that, you can’t play Augusta, Tiger,” the PGA Tour pro added.

While Rory McIlroy believed that the 15-time major champion wouldn’t play any of the TGL matches this season, Kevin Kisner has encouraged him to do so, and Woods has responded.

This time, Tiger Woods’ TGL team, Jupiter Links Golf Club, which didn’t qualify for the playoffs last season, is in the finals. Jupiter Links faced off against Rory McIlroy’s Boston Common Golf in the semifinals. Jupiter Links GC’s Max Homa, Tom Kim, and Akshay Bhatia entered the field to play against Boston Common Golf’s Rory McIlroy, Keegan Bradley, and Adam Scott. They won with a score of 9-5.

Now, they are in the unique three-match finals of the TGL Season 2. The team lost the first final against the Los Angeles Golf Club 5-6. The second match of the best of 3 starts at 7 pm EDT on March 24, 2026. If Los Angeles GC wins this match, they will win the SoFi Cup. However, if Jupiter Links wins, the third final will begin at 9 pm EDT on the same day.

The Big Cat is playing the TGL Season 2 finals against Los Angeles GC. Ironically, he will be replacing Kisner to join hands with Tom Kim and Max Homa against Justin Rose, Tommy Fleetwood, and Sahith Theegala. There’s no confirmation, though, on whether Woods will play the 3rd match if Jupiter Links GC wins the 2nd one.

Woods has stayed clear of professional golf since his two surgeries in 2025. He first underwent Achilles tendon surgery in March 2025, followed by disc replacement surgery in October 2025. He could not play in any event on the PGA Tour last season because of that. In fact, he didn’t play the PNC Championship or the Hero World Challenge, either. Before that, he last played the Open Championship in July 2024.

Continuing with that hiatus this year, the 82x PGA Tour winner didn’t play any official matches in TGL Season 2. He was present at the SoFi Center, interacting with fellow professionals and fans. However, he didn’t play any matches. This means that it will be his first return to competitive golf since July 2024.

Kisner’s reality check of being able to walk Augusta National is also accurate. The Big Cat has previously faced difficulties walking all 72 holes. At the 2023 Masters, he struggled badly with plantar fasciitis in his right foot. He was only able to walk 43 holes before withdrawing from the event. He faced the same issues at the 2022 Hero World Challenge, too.

Thus, walking the SoFi center for TGL Season 2 finals is much easier than walking the terrain at Augusta National. There are some rumors that Tiger Woods will play one of the remaining two finals at TGL Season 2. He has not even ruled out playing in the season’s first major either.

Tiger Woods on playing the Masters 2026

The veteran PGA Tour pro has not officially confirmed that he will play in the 2026 Masters. However, he has not even ruled it out. During the Genesis Invitational 2026, which he hosts, a media person asked Woods if the Masters Tournament was off the table for him.

His response was a plain “No.” He revealed that despite the injuries and physical health challenges, he is willing to try hard till the very last moment to play an event where he has won the most. Throughout his career, he has missed the Masters only 5 times. And on the occasions when he played, he has won the green jacket a record 5 times. In fact, his last major victory was at the 2019 Masters.

The hopes and rumors about him playing at Augusta National this year flared when his private jet was spotted in Georgia. However, many fans said that he was there for work or to pick up Charlie Woods, who was playing at the Junior Invitational 2026 at the time.

Tiger Woods’ own words about keeping the door open for Augusta only add another layer to the debate. Whether he makes a comeback to professional golf will be revealed at the 2026 Masters. However, within a few hours, fans would know if he takes on Kevin Kisner’s challenge. And if he does, it could signal a possible play at Augusta National, too.