On the eve of the 124th US Open, Tiger Woods is considered one of the favorites.
GETTY PHOTOS The United States Golf Association (USGA) has granted a special exemption to the 15-time major champion.
Thursday will be his game day. After recovering from a car accident in 2022, the golfer has struggled to regain his form.
McIlroy, the world number three, will be one of the competitors in a competition where Jon Rahm will be missing.
Tiger Woods isn’t going anywhere. He’s now one of the favorites to win the US Open, which starts on June 13 in Pinehurst, North Carolina.
The 15-time major champion and one of the sport’s most significant players said on Tuesday, the day before one of the four Masters tournaments, that his body was “good enough to win the US Open this week.”
In 2021, Woods was involved in a car accident that severely damaged his legs.
He has struggled ever since to return to the spectacular level he once enjoyed.
He has had such limited mobility as a result of his injuries that he has struggled to walk 72 holes since the accident.
In the subsequent rounds of major tournaments, his physical condition has presented challenges.
However, in preparation for the 124th US Open, he arrived at Pinehurst last week and has been working on his fitness.
“I think I’m strong enough to do it. Woods said, “It’s just a matter of doing it” about winning this week.
The United States Golf Association (USGA) gave Woods a special exemption to play in this week’s US Open because he won his last major at the 2019 Masters.
He is attempting to make the most of it as well. “The mental discipline required to play this particular golf course is going to be a lot.
This course is going to test every aspect of your game, especially mentally. “We have been working on that and ensuring that we comprehend the game plan, and we will be prepared in two days,” he stated.
The competition begins on Thursday, the 13th, and concludes on Sunday.
It is one of the main occasions of the year and Woods will be facing players however excited as he seems to be.
Take, for instance, Rory McIlroy, who needs a victory now that he has improved his ranking each year since the 2019 US Open.
The world number three has not won a significant since the 2014 PGA Title, yet he shows up with such sure advancement that he is a competitor.
According to McIlroy, “I feel like all aspects of my game are in pretty good shape at the moment.
” He won the US Open in 2011. However, from 2016 to 2018, he failed to make the cut three times in a row.
After that, he made the decision to alter his game plan.
At Los Angeles Country Club, McIlroy has improved steadily over the past five years, finishing tied for ninth in 2019, eighth in 2020, seventh in 2021, fifth in 2022, and second in 2023.
So he trusts and accepts this could be his year. As he did at the Masters, he will play the first two rounds with world number one Scottie Scheffler and runner-up Xander Schauffele. Only his American partners have won a major since then.
Woods is aware that he must improve to compete with McIlroy and Scheffler.
Woods will be playing in his first US Open since failing to qualify in 2020. He also missed the Pinehurst US Open in 2014. He was recuperating from back a medical procedure.
“I’ve been doing a touch of work on chipping and putting, however nothing can recreate what we have here, how much little shots and stubs and run-outs, and either utilizing wedges, long irons or woods around the greens, or even putters,” Woods said.
“This could be one of those Opens where in any case, the list of competitors score likely as low as it’ll at any point be after the main day”, he said.
At Pinehurst, the players will have to deal with the heat, which is expected to be over thirty degrees.
This is the same old thing, said Woods. He realizes the circumstances are normal in Florida.
“Everything is going to make the rounds longer and cause more wear and tear,” Woods added.
On Tuesday, he was seen practicing with Australian Min Woo Lee and American Max Homa, in addition to his 15-year-old son Charlie Woods.
“All the players are already prepared for what they are going to face.”
Woods stated, “It’s great for us to be able to share these moments together.” “I entrust him with my swing and my game. He has seen it more than any other person on the planet.”
The Bob Jones Award from the USGA will go to Woods. Like Jones, he has exhibited character, soul and regard for the game.
Jon Rahm will join Woods, McIlroy, and Scheffler.
Due to an infection in his left foot, the Spaniard was forced to withdraw from the 124th US Open.
Since switching to LIV Golf from the PGA Tour in December, Rahm has not won a tournament.
He completed 45th at the Experts and missed the cut at the PGA Title the month before.
Rahm comes in at number eight worldwide. Due to the injury he sustained on Friday, he withdrew from the LIV Golf Houston event on Saturday. After co
