The Open Championship was the last time fans saw Tiger Woods play a traditional, 72-hole golf tournament. Since that tournament at the Royal Troon Golf Club in Scotland, Woods has dealt with several injuries that have kept him from playing the sport, which made him a global icon.

While fans continue to wait for Woods’ return with anticipation, the 15-time Major champion recently dropped an update about his participation at The Masters 2026. During a press conference ahead of The Genesis Invitational 2026, Woods revealed that competing at Augusta National this year is not off the table.

At the press conference, Woods was asked by a reporter if, based on his recovery, The Masters at Augusta National was off the table for him. Woods proceeded to give a one-word answer when he said ‘no,’ followed by a smile, which was probably the highlight of the answer.

Tiger Woods keeping the door open to potentially playing The Masters 2026 is an exciting update for golf fans around the world. A 5-time winner of this prestigious tournament, Woods finished 60th when he competed in this tournament in 2024. If Woods returns to play in 2026, it will be worth observing whether he can perform better than he did two years ago.

A LIV Golfer who’s gained fan support to play The Masters earns praise from Tiger Woods

Tiger Woods and his PGA Tour colleagues, like Rory McIlroy, have always been at loggerheads with the PIF-backed LIV Golf. However, Woods recently did not shy away from showering praise on a LIV Golfer who has been playing tremendous golf and was recently victorious on the PIF-backed circuit.

The LIV Golfer who earned Woods’ praise is Anthony Kim. When Kim returned to professional golf after a 12-year absence in 2024, not much was expected from the American. As a matter of fact, Kim was also criticized when he was relegated from LIV last year.

However, the proud endorser of the tagline “Sober is Dope” did not give up and earned his way back to LIV via LIV Golf Promotions. Later, Kim was signed to 4Aces GC as a replacement for Patrick Reed, who will be returning to the PGA Tour. Kim made the most of this opportunity by recently winning LIV Golf Adelaide and scripting one of the best comeback stories in sports.

Commenting on his win, Tiger Woods at The Genesis Invitational press conference said:

“This kid hit it so good. He was on an unbelievable run when he won at Charlotte. Unbelievable at 2008 Ryder Cup. So much natural talent. He can hit any shot he wanted. To see him struggle in life and come all the way back and to win and be devoted as he is to his family, it’s a story you just have to wrap your heart around it.”

While Anthony Kim’s chances of qualifying for The Masters are very thin, fans on social media have been rallying for him to get a special invitation. If somehow, Kim manages to play at Augusta National, and so does Tiger Woods, then fans could watch a beautiful reunion take place.

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