Tiger Woods appears doubtful for next week’s Players Championship, with his recent comments at a TGL event suggesting his focus remains elsewhere.
The 15-time major champion, still recovering from injuries and personal loss, admitted his heart is not in the game right now.
With the Masters just five weeks away, his path to Augusta remains uncertain.
Speaking at Tuesday’s TGL event, the league he co-founded, Woods opened up about his struggles following the passing of his mother, Kultida, and his extensive work with the PGA Tour policy board.
“This is the third time I've touched a club since my mom passed, so I haven’t really gotten into it,” Woods told Sports Illustrated. “My heart is really not into practicing right now. I’ve had so many other things to do with the Tour and trying to do other things.
“Once I start probably feeling a little bit better and start getting into it, I’ll start looking at the schedule.”
Woods has until Friday to decide if he’ll tee it up at TPC Sawgrass. The Players Championship will be followed by the Valspar Championship, presenting another opportunity for a return.
His last official start came at the 2024 British Open, where he missed the cut.
Since then, he has undergone his sixth back procedure, skipped the Hero World Challenge, and played alongside his son, Charlie, at the PNC Championship in December.
While Woods weighs his competitive future, his inaugural TGL season came to an end Tuesday in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida Atlanta Drive GC dominated singles play to defeat Jupiter Links GC 9-1, eliminating Woods’ franchise from playoff contention.
Jupiter, co-owned by Woods, entered the night already out of the race after Monday’s results.
Atlanta (4-1-0, 8 points) secured the third seed and will face The Bay Golf Club in the semifinals, with Los Angeles Golf Club and New York Golf Club set to meet in the other playoff matchup.
Despite the loss, Woods took pride in what he and Rory McIlroy built with the virtual golf league, which finally launched in 2025 after a storm-damaged facility delayed its debut.
“I’m proud of my teammates, I’m proud of what we have built here and the excitement that we were able to bring to Jupiter and more importantly to the game of golf,” Woods said on ESPN’s broadcast.
Jupiter fell behind early, dropping the first two points in triples before catching a break when Atlanta’s Nick Dunlap drove out of bounds at the sixth hole.
Jupiter took advantage, “throwing the hammer” to double their point, but Atlanta declined and conceded for just a single point.
Atlanta quickly responded, reclaiming the point on the next hole and heading into singles play with a 3-1 lead.
While Jupiter’s Tom Kim split with Atlanta’s Billy Horschel and Woods drew against Lucas Glover, Max Homa’s misfire into a bunker at No. 12 allowed Dunlap to take another key point for Atlanta.
With time running out, desperation set in.
Horschel secured two points for Atlanta at No. 13, prompting Jupiter to throw the hammer for Woods’ match at the par-3 14th against Glover.
But Glover’s tee shot landed just 10 feet from the pin, and he countered with his own hammer throw, raising the stakes to three points.
Woods needed something special, but his tee shot sailed long, sealing the loss.
