Another year is passing by, and Tiger Woods is missing another set of majors fully. In 2025, he was out of all four majors as he was recovering from two surgeries, and this time around, it was an unfortunate crash, followed by a DUI arrest, that caused all of it.

Bob Harig of Sports Illustrated has confirmed that Tiger Woods did not submit an entry to be eligible to play in The Open Championship this July at Royal Birkdale. Woods has previously competed at this venue, back in 1998, at the 127th edition of the major. He finished third at the time. Notably, he is eligible to play in The Open till he is 60, as he is a 3x Open winner. He isn’t using his exemption this year; maybe he will use it next year, given how much he loves the tournament.

Woods has long expressed a fascination with links-style golf, saying, “I enjoy this type of golf because it is a creative feel that has a lot to do with playing The Open, and I think that guys, traditionally over the years who’ve done well, have been wonderful feel players.”

He has also frequently called it his favorite major because of the unpredictable weather conditions, saying, “You can have so many different weather conditions. You just don’t know. That’s one of the unique things about the British Open and why it’s my favorite major championship.”

Reports of Woods not playing the U.S. Open had already been confirmed by an insider weeks ago. USGA CEO Mike Whan had confirmed that the 82-time PGA Tour champion won’t be present at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club to play in his 24th U.S. Open.

“I’d be super surprised,” Whan told Sports Illustrated. He added, “It would be wonderful for the event, and if he were ready, it would be wonderful for him. Obviously, what he’s going through is much bigger than golf. He’s proven before that when he puts his mind to something, he’s going to be great at it. I don’t think he’s going to play in any 2026 USGA championship. If he ends up playing in USGA championships, great. But when I think of Tiger, my friend, that’s not really what’s important to me right now.”

This means that Woods is set to miss all 4 major championships this year, making it the second time in a row, taking his tally to 8. He was to play the Masters, but a car crash days before pushed him to go to rehab in Zurich. Then, the PGA Championship was out of the question, too.

Back then, a possible timeline of Woods’s return from rehabilitation was laid out. Considering that he started his journey in late March-early April 2026, he should take at least six months to reform. That would make his possible time of return around October 2026, months after the major season ends. Fans might get to see him in the PNC Championship and the Hero World Challenge in December 2026, but that is just a thought as of now.

Other than his rehabilitation, Tiger Woods is also dealing with some other issues in his life at the moment.

Tiger Woods battles bigger issues than absence from majors

While he had been recovering in the rehabilitation center, Tiger Woods’s lawyers were constantly fighting his battle in the courts in Florida. While the Martin County Circuit Court Judge Darren Steele had allowed him to travel internationally to get treated, he was still facing legal charges for the DUI incident.

During the last few weeks, Woods’ lawyers were arguing with the court that his medical records shouldn’t be released for fear that they might get leaked publicly. However, the prosecutors demanded the records, suggesting that they could prove to be crucial evidence to determine the direction of the case. In the end, the Florida judge allowed the prosecutors to receive his files privately.

The documents tipped the case against Woods and his team. In the end, the court ruled against him, and he was forced to leave Zurich and return to Florida to attend the hearing. But the 15-time major winner did leave the United States as swiftly as he returned to his home country to get back to rehabilitation in Zurich.