Tiger Woods, once the king of the fairways and an endless source of TV ratings gold, missed the cut at the 2024 U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2 (New York Post, June 16, 2024; USA Today, June 16, 2024). Missing the cut is now as familiar to Tiger as finding a parking spot at Walmart on Black Friday.

Woods carded a 74 on Thursday and a 73 on Friday, ending up 7-over for the tournament (USA Today, June 16, 2024). For a man who used to make birdies look easier than microwaving popcorn, this is about as troubling as realizing your phone’s on 1% and the nearest charger is a five-hour flight away.

Adding salt to the wound, Woods also missed the cut at last month’s PGA Championship, though he did manage to make the cut at the 2024 Masters (USA Today, May 15, 2024). Ah, finally, some success—if you consider that staying up past 9 PM qualifies as one.

Uncertainty looms over Woods' future participation in the U.S. Open. The legend himself admits he doesn’t know if this was his final appearance, cryptically adding, “it may or may not be” (New York Post, June 16, 2024). One wonders if this newfound ambivalence stems from an age where he might find golf carts more reliable than his scorecards.

Woods’ physical form hasn't been much help either. He has been grappling with injuries from a 2021 car accident, which necessitated ankle surgery and has since hobbled his recent attempts to recapture his former glory (New York Post, April 10, 2023). This makes us wonder if he should add “getting up from the couch without aching” to his list of career goals.

The last time Woods made the cut at the U.S. Open was in 2019 at Pebble Beach (New York Post, June 16, 2023). Ah, those halcyon days feel as distant as dial-up internet.

For his fans, there's a sliver of hope yet. He has one more tournament on the calendar for this season: the Open Championship in July (New York Post, June 16, 2024). Still, after recent events, the public might find binge-watching his classic victories on YouTube more comforting.

Despite the rough edges, Woods was transparent about his emotions, expressing his frustration over not making the cut at the U.S. Open weekend rounds (New York Post, June 16, 2024). It's a disappointment, although given his battle with injuries and advancing years, it’s starting to seem like his runs at major tournaments are consistently running out of steam.

As Tiger Woods enters this phase of his career, one has to ask: Will he trade practicing swing arcs for siestas? While his legacy is securely etched in the annals of the sport, it's possible we might now see more of Tiger Woods on the couch than on the course. Perhaps it’s time he swaps his golf clubs for some cozy pajamas.

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