Tiger Woods will not be playing in the 2025 U.S. Open at Oakmont as he continues to recover from an Achilles tendon surgery he underwent in March. The injury has sidelined him for the entire season, making this the fourth time in five years he has missed the event.
Woods is a three-time U.S. Open winner, having lifted the trophy in 2000, 2002, and 2008. However, his recent record at the major has been disappointing. Since 2014, he has only made the cut once — a T21 finish at Pebble Beach in 2019. Apart from that, he has missed the cut four times and missed six editions entirely.
The USGA occasionally grants special exemptions to players who don’t meet the usual qualification criteria. Woods received one of these exemptions last year to play at Pinehurst, where he didn’t make it past the cut.
The governing body has been selective with these invites over the years, issuing just 34 since 1966, with names like Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, and Hale Irwin among the recipients. Notably, Irwin won the 1990 U.S. Open while playing on such an exemption.
Unlike The Masters and PGA Championship, which allow past winners to return each year without needing to qualify, the U.S. Open limits former champions to a 10-year exemption window. Woods’ win at Torrey Pines in 2008 no longer gives him automatic entry into the tournament.
There is still no confirmed date for his return to competition. However, he could make an appearance at the PNC Championship in December, where he often plays alongside his son Charlie. The event allows the use of carts, which could make it a more feasible option as he continues his recovery.
As for Oakmont, the venue for this year’s U.S. Open, Tiger Woods nearly won there in 2007 but came up one shot short of Ángel Cabrera. He did not play when the tournament returned there in 2016.
How has Tiger Woods performed in his last 10 U.S. Open starts?
Tiger Woods has struggled at the U.S. Open in recent years, with injuries and poor form affecting his performances. Here’s a look at his last 10 starts at the tournament:
- 2024 (Pinehurst No. 2) – Missed Cut (played on special exemption)
- 2020 (Winged Foot) – Missed Cut
- 2019 (Pebble Beach) – Tied 21st
- 2018 (Shinnecock Hills) – Missed Cut
- 2015 (Chambers Bay) – Missed Cut
- 2013 (Merion Golf Club) – Tied 32nd
- 2012 (Olympic Club) – Tied 21st
- 2010 (Pebble Beach) – Tied 4th
- 2009 (Bethpage Black) – Tied 6th
- 2008 (Torrey Pines) – Won
Tiger Woods did not compete in the 2014, 2016, and 2017 editions due to various injuries.
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Edited by Tushar Bahl
