Tiger Woods is set to return to Royal Troon for the 152nd Open Championship, yet one particular hole may bring back uneasy memories. Despite his illustrious career and numerous major victories, Woods has never secured a win at Troon.
Woods first played the course in 1997, soon after his initial major victory at the Masters. He started strong with rounds of 72, 74, and an impressive 64, climbing into the top ten. However, a final round of 74, marred by a triple bogey, dropped him to T24, 12 strokes behind winner Justin Leonard. This week, Woods will once again face the notorious ‘Postage Stamp’ par-three eighth hole, which has historically troubled many golfers. Measuring only 123 yards but surrounded by five bunkers, the hole has derailed numerous scorecards. Notably, Herman Tissies recorded a 15 on this hole during the 1950 Open, and Greg Norman’s bogey here in 1989 cost him the Claret Jug by a single stroke.
Woods first tasted Open success at St Andrews in 2000 and repeated the feat five years later. His last Open victory came at Royal Liverpool in 2006, leaving him with an 18-year drought at this major. Reflecting on his recent performance, Woods hinted that his appearance at the US Open earlier this year might have been his last. Despite facing a challenging “war of attrition” at Pinehurst No. 2 and missing the cut with rounds of 74 and 73, he remains uncertain about his future in these tournaments.
Woods expressed his frustration after his US Open exit, acknowledging the necessity of making the cut to have any chance of winning. “I thought I played well enough to be up there in contention. It just didn’t work out,” he said. As for his future in the Open or the US Open, Woods remains noncommittal, stating, “It may or may not be.”
With his last major victory at the 2019 Masters, all eyes will be on Woods this week as he tees off at Royal Troon, facing both old challenges and new opportunities.
