Tiger Woods insists he is ready to challenge for a major U.S. Open victory and credited his son Charlie for playing a major role in his preparations for Pinehurst No. 2.
The 15-time major champion made a record 23 consecutive cuts at the Masters earlier this year but was in last place heading into the weekend and missed the cut at last month's PGA Championship.
Woods has had a limited playing schedule in recent years due to injuries, but the USGA granted him a special exemption, the first time in his career he failed to automatically qualify, and the former world number one is confident his body can withstand the latest major test.
Woods has completed all four rounds in just three tournaments since November 2020
When asked if he felt he was physically ready to play this week, Sky Sports starts live broadcasts on Thursday“Yeah, I do. I feel like I'm capable of doing it. It's just a matter of action,” Woods told reporters.
“This golf course is going to test every aspect of your game, especially the mental aspect. It takes a lot of mental discipline to play this particular golf course. We've been working on it, making sure I understand the game plan.”
Charlie Woods spent Monday and Tuesday on the course with his father for practice rounds ahead of the U.S. Open
Woods: I trust my son to help me swing
Woods described the conditions of this week's course as a “great war of attrition,” though the course wasn't as undulating as those he encountered at Augusta National Golf Club and Valhalla Golf Club in the year's first two majors, but where he finished third in Payne Stewart's 1999 title and runner-up to Michael Campbell in 2005.
Charlie, 48, joined him on the driving range ahead of the Masters final in April, and during warm-ups, Charlie chatted with his father and helped him with his drills, while the teenager returned to support his dad at this week's practice rounds.
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Former PGA Tour champion Nota Begay III discussed Woods' chances of winning a fourth U.S. Open title at Pinehurst, saying it might be his best chance to win a 16th major this year.
“I think Charlie is very special here,” Woods said. “As far as his role, it's the same. I trust him to take care of my swing and my game. He knows me better than anybody in the world. He knows the golf ball I hit better than anybody.
“I tell him what to look out for, especially with putts. He gave me some little tips today, which was great because I get so focused on hitting a certain putt on a certain hole that I tend to forget some of the things I’m practicing.
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“I just want to see things go well. He reminds me from time to time, which is good. We have a good relationship and get along well, and it's been a great experience for both of us.”
Woods: Will 'light at the end of the tunnel' unify men's golf?
The three-time U.S. Open champion held a face-to-face meeting last week with members of the PGA Tour subcommittee and Yasser Al-Rumayyan, president of Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, in an effort to continue negotiations on the unification of men's golf.
A preliminary “framework agreement” was announced last June between the PIF (which funds the LIV Golf League), the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour, with an initial deadline of December, but that deadline has now been extended with no public confirmation of when or if a deal will be reached.
Woods to play first two rounds of U.S. Open along with Matt Fitzpatrick and Will Zalatoris
“It was a productive meeting,” Woods said of the session. “Is there light at the end of the tunnel? I think we’re closer to that point than we were before the meeting. We talked about a lot of different endings and how to get there.”
“I think both sides came away from the meeting feeling very positive. As I said, both sides are looking at different ways to get to the end goal. Both sides have a deep passion about how to get there. Of course, there will be differences of opinion, but we all want the same goal.”
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