Tiger Woods has been challenged by 2023 PGA Championship hero Michael Block, who says he wants to face him on the PGA Tour Champions later this year. Block, who became a fan favorite during his surprise run at Oak Hill, will turn 50 in June, making him eligible for the senior circuit. He has already begun planning his move and hopes to compete against Woods, who turned 50 in December.
While Woods is still recovering from injury and has not confirmed his Champions Tour plans, Block said the idea of playing against him already feels unreal.
“I had never even thought about that in my life, but I literally had dreams about me coming down the stretch at a tournament against Tiger,” Block told bunkered.co.uk.
The California club pro said his main goal now is to get as many starts as possible on the PGA Tour Champions.
“I’m really focussed in on trying to get in as many champions tour events as I possibly can,” Block said. “The US Senior Open is right in time for my age as well, so, I’m really gonna be focussed on that big time here in another five months.”
Block admitted that competing against much younger players on the regular PGA Tour has become tougher.
“When I’m going into these regular tour events now, it’s very tough for me to compete at my age against the kids because they’re so athletic and talented,” he said. “I can’t wait to be the young buck this summer and qualifying for the US Senior Open is my number one goal.”
Block is set to tee it up at The American Express next week. After that, he plans to focus on earning Champions Tour starts, especially at events near New York and Oak Hill.
“I’m hoping to possibly get a couple of exemptions into the events in New York, close to Oak Hill, around the first week I turn 50. If not, I’m still going to travel around and do the Monday qualifiers for the champions tour and try to see how I do against people my age.”
Block went viral at the 2023 PGA Championship after making a hole-in-one and finishing tied for 15th. He has yet to win on the PGA Tour, but he believes the next phase of his career could bring matchups with legends like Woods.
What Tiger Woods has said about playing on the PGA Tour Champions
Tiger Woods has not committed to any schedule yet, but he has made it clear that his focus right now is simply getting healthy enough to play again.
Speaking at the Hero World Challenge in 2025, Woods said he still needs time before making any long-term decisions.
“Once I get a feel for practicing, exploding, playing, the recovery process, then I can assess where I’m going to play and how much I’ll play,” he said. “I’m a ways away from that part of it and that type of decision, that type of commitment level.”
Woods added that he is not thinking about specific events yet and wants to take things step by step.
“I’m probably going to play 25 events on both tours and I think that should cover most of the year, right?”
He has also hinted that the Champions Tour could be part of his future, especially since players are allowed to use carts, which could help him manage his physical limitations.
In the past, Tiger Woods has played through serious injuries. He won the U.S. Open shortly before knee surgery and captured the Masters two years after a major back procedure. But in recent years, his health has limited his schedule. He has made only 11 starts across the past five seasons and has undergone multiple surgeries.
College Sports Network has you covered with the latest news, analysis, insights, and trending stories in football, basketball, hockey, golf, baseball and more!
