On December 30, 2026, Tiger Woods will celebrate his 50th birthday. Expect him to be surrounded by friends, family, and possibly even fellow golfers like Rocco Mediate and Padraig Harrington, with a tee time likely set up for the occasion.
Recently, Mediate shared that the PGA Tour Champions feels noticeably quieter compared to the PGA Tour, and he's excited about the potential buzz that Woods could bring to the senior tour. Mediate, who finished as the runner-up to Woods in the 2008 U.S. Open, is enthusiastic about the prospect of Woods adding some energy to the tour.
"I enjoy a lively atmosphere with lots of people,” Mediate told the Detroit News. "I’m really looking forward to it. If Tiger is healthy, he could continue to compete on the regular tour as long as he likes. But if not, he could still join the Champions Tour and compete in a different way. It’s an opportunity for him to set new records and enjoy the competition with his friends."
Padraig Harrington, another major champion and a rival of Woods, is also anticipating Woods’ entry into the Champions Tour. Harrington mentioned that he recently spoke with Woods and believes he is planning to play on the senior circuit. Harrington even revealed that Woods has started some playful banter, hinting at the competitive spirit that lies ahead.
"At the PNC Championship last December, Tiger joked about looking forward to beating me on the Champions Tour,” Harrington said. “He definitely wants to keep the competition lively, and I’m ready for the challenge.”
The prospect of Woods joining the Champions Tour is generating significant excitement and could shift the landscape of golf. Geoff Ogilvy, another veteran golfer, has noted that the interest from fans and sponsors is likely to be extremely high, potentially even surpassing PGA Tour ratings when Woods takes the stage.
"Interest from both fans and sponsors is expected to skyrocket," Ogilvy remarked. "There’s a strong possibility that Champions Tour viewership could surpass that of the PGA Tour when Tiger starts playing. It will be intriguing to see what happens."