On Tuesday, coinciding with Tiger Woods’ comments about the upcoming changes on the PGA Tour, the legendary golfer also announced his decision about playing in the U.S. Senior Open. Woods will not play in the tournament and will stay rehabilitating.
When the Woods’ accident occurred, reports released that he still enrolled into the tournament’s field. However, now he confirms that he will not play in the event at Scioto Country Club in Ohio.
After the mishap on March 27th, Woods took a step back from the professional game of golf, deciding not to play in the upcoming major championships including The Masters Tournament. He wanted to concentrate on his well-being, admitting himself into a rehab center in Switzerland.
Tuesday’s PGA Tour press conference at the Travelers Championship was Woods’ first public appearance since the accident. He still has yet to play in an event since his missed cut during The Open Championship at Royal Troon in 2024. Prior to the setback in March, Wood still was recovering from other ailments. He had received another back surgery in October of 2025.
Tiger Woods Not the Only Golfer Missing U.S. Senior Open
Phil Mickelson also misses the U.S. Senior Open after unsettling news about his inappropriate sexual conduct recently released.
Alongside Woods, fellow golfer Phil Mickelson continues his own hiatus from the game of golf. For months, the reasons for his absence remained ambiguous. However, recent news came to light that Mickelson made unwanted sexual contact with a female at his golf club. He was promptly removed from his membership, and he now focuses on damage control now that the news has gone public.
Bernhard Langer and John Daly are also slated to miss the U.S. Senior Open. The reasons for either are not completely known. However, Langer continues to play in less events as he ages. The same is true for Daly as he aims to take better care of his health. However, he also has his history of issues with the USGA.
The Golf Field at U.S. Senior Open Still Showcases Plenty of Talent
Padraig Harrington is the defending champion for the U.S. Senior Open.
Despite Woods’ absence from the U.S. Senior Open, there are many great golfers in the field. Defending champion Padraig Harrington plans to tee it up after missing the cut at the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills. Harrington still flexes plenty of quality golf even when he plays with the younger players on the PGA Tour. Defending course champion Gene Sauers also returns to Scioto to potentially retain his title from 2016.
Other major winners such as Vijay Singh, Retief Goosen, Angel Cabrera, Lee Janzen, Davis Love III, Stewart Cink, Justin Leonard, Darren Clarke, Henrik Stenson, Mike Weir, David Toms, Mark Calcavecchia, Y.E. Yang, Shaun Micheel, Michael Campbell are also in the field.
Scioto Country Club will celebrate its 110th anniversary when they begin the U.S. Senior Open on July 2nd. Other events it has hosted are the 1926 U.S. Open, the 1931 Ryder Cup, and the 1950 PGA Championship. The championship has a total prize fund of $4 million, with the champion taking home $800,000.
Tiger Woods Announces U.S. Senior Open Status