Hosted by golfing megastar Jack Nicklaus, this Dublin, Ohio-located tournament is one of the most respected titles in the entire PGA Tour. Enthusiasm spread among fans after the tournament’s official social media account posted an eyes emoji with no explanation, leading many to suspect hidden news about Woods joining the event beginning on Thursday.

Unfortunately, fan expectations were misplaced as Tiger Wood was a notable no-show in the signature event line up revealed on Monday. Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler and current champion Viktor Hovland are set to compete.

Following his 2023 ankle reconstruction surgery which took place post-Masters, and to help navigate complications from his car accident the previous year, Woods has only participated in three PGA Tour-endorsed events. He appeared at the Genesis Invitational in February but dropped out halfway due to flu.

The iconic golf star did qualify for The Masters in April, but despite his previous five-time success sporting the coveted green jacket at Augusta National, his performance fell short this time, finishing in 60th place.

Woods, a 15-time major champion, has taken a month’s break before the PGA Championship in May. Before teeing off, he confessed to a lack of sharpness due to his sparse competitive play, which was evident when he missed the cut with a seven-over-par across two rounds at Valhalla.

Tiger Woods heads to the US Open with a lack of competitive rounds under his belt (Image: Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

“My body’s okay,” Woods remarked prior to his round in Kentucky. “It is what it is. I wish my game was a little bit sharper. Again, I don’t have a lot of competitive reps, so I am having to rely on my practice sessions and getting stuff done either at home or here on-site.”

Woods, who has been granted a special exemption for the upcoming US Open at Pinehurst No. 2, faced criticism after his performance at Valhalla, suggesting he needs more regular competition to withstand the rigours of a major and perform to his potential.

Despite the Memorial offering an ideal setting with a strong field to hone his skills in tournament conditions, it seems Woods is wary of pushing his body with back-to-back events. Consequently, expectations for his impact at Pinehurst are decidedly low.