Tiger Woods has been granted a special exemption to compete in the upcoming U.S. Open, set to be played June 13-16 at Pinehurst No. 2. The USGA announced this on Thursday, with Woods, a three-time champion of the tournament, being exempt from his 2019 Masters win. This marks the first time that the USGA has offered a special exemption since Phil Mickelson in 2021.
Woods, who is 48 years old, last won the U.S. Open in 2008 and has owned nine total USGA titles throughout his career. He is now in line to make his 23rd career appearance in the national championship, first since 2020 at Winged Foot where he missed the cut. Woods’ last top-10 finish at the U.S. Open came in 2010 at Pebble Beach where he tied for fourth place. In his latest major start, Woods finished solo 60th at last month’s Masters Tournament and has only made two starts on the PGA Tour this year due to health issues that most recently included subtalar fusion surgery in April 2023 and an illness that forced him to withdraw from the Genesis Invitational during the second round earlier this year.
“The story of the U.S. Open could not be written without Tiger Woods,” said John Bodenhamer, Chief Championships Officer of USGA “From his incredible victory at Pebble Beach in 2000 to his inspiring win on a broken leg at Torrey Pines in
