Tiger Woods got choked up last week while walking on the Swilcan Bridge at The Old Course in Scotland, and fans think it’s because he might have just played the iconic golf course competitively for the last time. The golf legend, 46, was teary-eyed at The Open Championship while walking down the 18th fairway in St. Andrews. He waved to a crowd that embraced him with cheers and a five-minute standing ovation. Woods smiled while wiping away tears and tipping his cap to his fans.
As Entertainment Tonight reports, this might be the last time Woods plays the course in his career since legendary venue (known as “the home of golf” after its establishment in 1552), “rotates its venues each year,” and the next time that The Open Championship (also known as the British Open) “circles back to St. Andrews won’t be until 2027, at the earliest.” At this point, Woods will be turning 51. So, essentially, the publication explains, this was very likely “Woods’ farewell to St. Andrews at The Open Championship,” which is celebrating its 150th anniversary and makes this such a poignant moment in his career.“I’m not retiring from the game,” Woods said at a news conference after his exit last week, “But I don’t know if I will be physically able to play back here again when it comes back around. I’ll be able to play future Opens, yes, but next time here, I doubt I’ll be competitive at this level.” As many fans will remember, Woods suffered a near-fatal car crash in February 2021 and almost had his leg amputated. While Woods made an impressive recovery, the accident did take a major toll on his health and worried fans that he might not be able to play for much longer. (Thankfully, Woods has stressed to fans in the days since that he is not only well, but also not thinking about retiring any time soon).
After his exit from The Open Championship, Woods headed to social media to thank St. Andrews for all the memories he made there, such as his 2000 and 2005 wins. “Although I am disappointed to be heading home, I had an incredible week at St Andrews celebrating 150 years of history and the game we love,” he tweeted. “I want to thank this place for all the memories it has given me, and to the fans today for having the walk up 18 be added to that list.”