Tiger Woods to meet old nemesis at Royal Troon as he faces bad omen at The Open
Tiger Woods Faces Royal Troon: The One Hole He Dreads
Tiger Woods is set to make his much-anticipated return to Royal Troon this week, competing in the 152nd Open. Yet, there is one hole at this storied course that fills him with a sense of foreboding. Despite his illustrious career, which includes numerous major tournament victories, Woods has never claimed the Open title at Troon.
Woods first tackled the course in 1997, during the early stages of his meteoric rise in professional golf. This debut came just three months after his first major triumph at the Masters. Initial rounds of 72, 74, and 64 positioned him within the top ten, but a final round of 74, marred by a triple bogey, relegated him to a T24 finish, 12 strokes behind winner Justin Leonard.
As Woods prepares to confront the course once more, he will again face the notorious hole that derailed his scorecard decades ago.
The eighth hole, known as the ‘Postage Stamp,’ is infamous for its difficulty. Though it measures a mere 123 yards, its challenge is amplified by five strategically placed bunkers that have humbled even the greatest golfers. In 1950, Herman Tissies infamously scored a 15 on this hole, bouncing between bunkers. In 1989, Greg Norman’s solitary bogey on this hole cost him the Claret Jug by a single shot.
Woods eventually tasted Open glory at St Andrews in 2000 and repeated the feat five years later at the same venue. His last major win at the Open came at Royal Liverpool in 2006, marking an 18-year drought in this particular tournament.
This week’s appearance follows Woods’ uncertain remarks about his future participation in major tournaments. After a grueling US Open at Pinehurst No. 2 earlier this year, where he missed the cut with scores of 74 and 73, Woods expressed doubts about his future in the sport.
Reflecting on his performance, Woods said, “It’s one of those things where in order to win a golf tournament, you have to make the cut. I can’t win the tournament from where I’m at, so it certainly is frustrating. I thought I played well enough to be up there in contention. It just didn’t work out.”
He further added, “As far as my last Open Championship or U.S. Open Championship, I don’t know what that is. It may or may not be.” Woods’ last major victory was at the 2019 Masters, and the golfing world will be watching closely as he takes to the tees of Troon this week.
