Tiger Woods Has a Notable History at Pinehurst, but Can He Contend in the 2024 U.S. Open?
Tiger Woods isn’t the same golfer he was at the peak of his career. We all know that by now. But his history in U.S. Open play at Pinehurst tells us we shouldn’t rule him out entirely here in 2024.
To hear Tiger talk about things out here during practice rounds, he firmly believes he can contend on a course that isn’t going to have any cold or rain weather concerns.
“It’s like home. Hot and humid is what we deal with every single day at home in Florida, so that’s nothing new,” Woods said during his Tuesday news conference. “It’s just making sure that I keep hydrated and the mental tax that the heat will bring. It’s going to bring it to all of us, not just me. Everyone is going to be tested.”
And while he’s never lacked for confidence, he has been more open and honest lately about the way his body is different after multiple surgeries, and a major car accident that threatened to end his career – if not his life. But Tiger thinks he’s got what it takes playing in just his fourth tournament this year.
“I feel like I have the strength to be able to do it. It’s just a matter of doing it,” he said.
Tiger has played in two U.S. Open Championships at Pinehurst, in 1999 and 2005. And in both of those, he finished near the top of the leaderboard. He missed the 2014 Open, but knows that the course plays much different than what he saw in those first two appearances.
“Yeah, it’s all different. I played it under bentgrass. So now having Bermuda, it’s very different,” he said about the changes made to return Pinehurst to its native rough roots. “It’s grainy. We had the grain on the greens during those Open Championships, and they were softer than they are now.”
With hot temperatures in the upper 80s to mid-90s, and no rain in sight, Tiger said the first round is likely to be the best day for scoring.
“It has that look and feel that this could be one of the Opens where whatever the leading score is, that’s probably as low as we’ll ever go after the first day.”
1999 – Tied for 3rd – +1
The first U.S. Open for Tiger Woods at Pinehurst came on a day no golf fan will likely ever forget. But it wasn’t because of Tiger.
That was the year Payne Stewart had one of the most memorable moments in U.S. Open history, with a long birdie putt on 18 and a now-iconic fist pump as he won the tournament. The moment is immortalized with the Payne Stewart statue on the grounds of Pinehurst.
That putt to win gave Stewart a one-shot edge over Phil Mickelson, who finished at even-par for the tournament. And one shot back of Phil… well that was Tiger Woods (and Vijay Singh).
Woods had a solid tournament, never ending a round more than two shots back of the leader. But he had a critical bogey on the 17th hole in the final round that ended his chance at a win.
It’s an afterthought in history thanks to the Payne Stewart moment, but it showed that Tiger was ready to dominate.
2005 – 2nd Place – +2
If you ask someone to tell you about Tiger Woods in his prime, they are going to talk about his traditional Sunday charges. The 2005 Open was one of those moments.
Michael Campbell ended up winning that tournament, after a steady 69 in the final round. It didn’t have the dramatic impact of the 1999 Open, but the win was perhaps best known more for Retief Goosen’s epic collapse. Goosen led by three heading into the final round, but had a disastrous 11-over round, and went from 3-under to 8-over.
That left the door open for Tiger, who started with two bogeys, and seemed out of contention. But four birdies on the back nine saw Tiger make things look inevitable. But a bogey on 16, and a three-putt bogey on 17 ended his chances. He finished two back of Campbell, who held on for dear life.
2014 – Did Not Play
It wasn’t long before the 2014 U.S. Open at Pinehurst that the career of Tiger Woods began to change dramatically. He had battled various injuries over the years, but his first back surgery came in the spring of 2014.
That surgery look him out of the Masters for the first time in his career, and caused him to miss the Open at Pinehurst.
Even if he had played, Martin Kaymer made things laughable for everyone. He shot blistering scores of 65 in the first two rounds, and never came close to having anybody near him. He won the tournament with a 9-under final score, besting Erik Compton and Rickie Fowler by eight shots.
Tiger Woods Heading Into the 2024 U.S. Open
Tiger Woods hasn’t been the vicious killer on the course the last few years. In February of 2021, he was involved in a horrific car accident that caused multiple leg injuries. There was a long period of time where it wasn’t even clear if Tiger would ever step on a golf course again.
But he has battled back, playing limited schedules, and never contending much. But it’s always good to see the legend on the course. His first tournament back was the 2022 Masters, and he did make the cut, but was 23 shots back of winner Scottie Scheffler.
He’s played in just three tournaments this year so far. He withdrew from the Genesis Invitational during the second round. He made the cut at The Masters, but shot 82 and 77 on the weekend, and finished 60th. And he missed the cut at the PGA Championship after rounds of 72 and 77.
But he’s back at Pinehurst and feeling confident. Time will tell whether Tiger has any chance of contending. But we’re all hoping to see that Sunday Red this weekend on No. 2.
