Tiger Woods

Tiger Woods joined the list of voices who have distanced themselves from Phil Mickelson in the wake of Mickelson's previous comments about the PGA Tour. 

"Phil has said some things that I think a lot of us who are committed to the Tour and committed to the legacy of the Tour have pushed back against," Woods told reporters Tuesday. "He's taking some personal time. And we all understand that. But I think that some of his views on how the Tour could be run, should be run, [there's] been a lot of disagreement there. ... We all wish him the best when he comes back. Obviously, we're going to have [a] difference of opinions [about] how he sees the Tour and we'll go from there."

The 15-time major winner added he hasn't spoken recently with Mickelson.

PGA of America confirmed last week that Mickelson had withdrawn from the PGA Championship, thus turning down the opportunity to defend his 2021 title. 

That prolonged his current exile from the PGA Tour. He hasn't appeared in a tour event since the Farmers Insurance Open in January.

The 51-year-old is still dealing with the fallout from an interview he gave to Alan Shipnuck that Shipnuck published in February for The Fire Pit Collective. 

Mickelson called the Saudi Arabia regime, which is backing a breakaway golf league, "scary motherf--kers" who "have a horrible record on human rights." However, he described the new Saudi tour as "a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reshape how the PGA Tour operates."

Rory McIlroy described the remarks as "selfish" and "egotistical," and Justin Thomas struck a similar tone by saying Mickelson made an "egotistical statement."

Ahead of the PGA Championship, McIlroy explained that he doesn't want to see Mickelson frozen out altogether:

Woods didn't speak about his one-time rival in quite the same terms as McIlroy and Thomas, but he seemed to make his opinion on the matter pretty clear.

Spectators looking for star power at the 2022 PGA Championship at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Oklahoma, will have the opportunity to find plenty of it in one place during the first two rounds.

That is because Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth will all be part of the same group, per ESPN's Bob Harig.

The trio tee off at 9:11 a.m. ET during Thursday's first round and 2:36 p.m. ET during Friday's second round.

While McIlroy and Spieth are two of the biggest names in the sport, Woods will be the main storyline.

The 15-time major champion and winner of 82 PGA Tour events will play in just his second official tour event since November 2020 after serious leg injuries he suffered in a February 2021 car crash.

Woods underwent surgery and even said amputation was under consideration.        

His first official PGA Tour tournament appearance since the crash came in April's Masters when he impressed with a one-under 71 in the opening round and made the cut before fading into 47th place over the weekend.

That he was even able to walk the course and compete for four straight rounds was notable, and the time off since then may help him take strides during his second major of the year.

Woods is no stranger to success in this tournament and location, as he is a four-time PGA Championship victor and won the title at Southern Hills in 2007. That was his 13th career major championship, and he has since won the 2008 U.S. Open and 2019 Masters.

The 46-year-old is not the only multiple winner of this event in his star-studded group, as McIlroy won the 2012 and 2014 PGA Championship. Spieth is a three-time major champion but is still looking for his first PGA Championship title to complete a career Grand Slam.

Getting off to a quick start as part of the headline group will be imperative if he plans on accomplishing the feat.         

Ahead of this week's PGA Tournament, Tiger Woods played his second nine-hole practice round in as many days at Southern Hills Country Club.

Mark Schlabach of ESPN noted Woods played the front nine Sunday before returning to the course Monday.

When he tees off in the PGA Championship, Woods believes he'll be at a better place physically than when he competed in the Masters to signal his return to competitive golf.

"It's only going to keep getting stronger," Woods told reporters Sunday of his surgically repaired right knee. "The more I use it, the more strength it gains. Am I ever going to have full mobility? No. Never again. But I'll be able to get stronger. It's going to ache, but that's the way it's going to be."

The 15-time major champion defied expectations when he went one under in the first round of the Masters last month, putting him four shots back of tournament leader Sungjae Im. It was enough for fans to wonder whether they'd see the legend pull off another miracle at Augusta National Golf Club.

Woods steadily fell back to earth and wound up in 47th at 13 over.

That was to be expected considering the 46-year-old hadn't entered a PGA Tour event since his serious car crash in February 2021. In the immediate aftermath of the wreck, it wasn't clear whether he'd be able to continue his career at all, so seeing him simply make the cut was a welcome surprise.

The same perspective largely applies to the PGA Championship, a tournament in which Woods is +6500 to win ($100 bet wins $6,500) at DraftKings Sportsbook.

Well before the accident, Woods was clearly on the decline. The numerous injuries he had picked up over his career were adding up in a big way. His frank admission that he'll never have full mobility in his knee following the crash is a reminder of his new reality.

Woods is facing an uphill battle in pursuit of his 16th major title, and there's unlikely to be much optimism about his odds when the competition kicks off Thursday in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

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As he continues to prepare for this week's PGA Championship, Tiger Woods is feeling more confident in his strength since the last time he was competing.

"I've gotten a lot stronger," Woods told reporters after Sunday's practice round at Southern Hills Country Club.

Woods made his return to competition at the Masters Tournament last month, his first event since a devastating car crash in February 2021. He successfully walked all 72 holes at Augusta National, a massive accomplishment considering the serious leg injuries he had suffered just 14 months prior. After opening with a one-under 71 in the first round and making the cut, Woods finished the tournament at 13 over.

The 46-year-old said he continued to stay active immediately after the Masters, and he believes it's paid off.

"We went back to work on Tuesday [after the Masters]. Monday was awful. I did nothing and Tuesday was leg day. So, we went right back after it," Woods said. "We started ramping up a week or so ago, played a little bit more golf, and it was good. Everything is better."

A 15-time major winner, Woods trails Jack Nicklaus' all-time record by three. He will be selective with which events he plays, likely saving his strength for the most important competitions. But Woods acknowledged that playing more will only benefit him in regaining his strength and getting used to playing in his current condition.

"It's only going to keep getting stronger," Woods said of his leg. "The more I use it, the more strength it gains. Am I ever going to have full mobility? No. Never again. But I'll be able to get stronger. It's going to keep getting better. It's going to keep getting stronger. It's going to ache, but that's the way it's going to be."

Scottie Scheffler won the 2022 Masters at Augusta National Golf Club on Sunday, finishing 10 under par, and five-time green jacket winner Tiger Woods was one of many who congratulated him on the big victory.

Scheffler joined Woods and Jordan Spieth as the only players 25 or younger to win the Masters over the last 40 years, according to ESPN Stats & Info.

Sunday marked Scheffler's first win at a major. In two prior Masters appearances, he finished 18th and 19th. The 25-year-old has also won the WM Phoenix Open, Arnold Palmer Invitational and the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play this year. 

Woods, meanwhile, finished 47th at 13 over par. After the match, he said it felt "unbelievable" to get back out on the course after missing more than a year rehabbing from serious injuries suffered in a car crash in February 2021. He also confirmed he would participate in The Open Championship at St. Andrews this summer but noted he wouldn't be playing a regular schedule again.

Scottie Scheffler won the 86th Masters at Augusta National Golf Club on Sunday, finishing the fourth round one under par to bring his tournament total to 10 under and capture his first green jacket at 25 years old. 

The world No. 1 entered Sunday at nine under par through three rounds and continued his dominant performance into the fourth round to hold off a significant push from Rory McIlroy, who finished second. 

Before Sunday, Scheffler's best finish at the Masters came when he finished 18th in 2021. Since then, he has gone on to win the Phoenix Open, Arnold Palmer Invitational and the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play. 

Leaderboard

1. Scottie Scheffler: -10

2. Rory McIlroy: -7

T3. Shane Lowry: -5

T3. Cameron Smith: -5

5. Collin Morikawa: -4

For the full leaderboard, refer to Masters.com.

Scheffler had a brilliant fourth-round performance on Sunday afternoon at Augusta National, kicking things off with a par on the first and second holes before a birdie on the third hole to take a dominant four-stroke lead over Smith. 

Scheffler then parred on holes four through six before another birdie on the seventh hole to move to 11 under and hold on to his four-stroke lead over Smith. He parred on holes eight and nine before slipping up slightly on the 10th hole, where he recorded his first bogey of the day.

Scheffler rebounded on the remaining holes and birded on No. 14 and No. 15 to hold on to his lead. He parred on holes 16 and 17 and carded a double-bogey on hole 18 to close out the day. 

McIlroy arguably had the better performance in Sunday's fourth round. He entered at one over par and tied for ninth following a third round that saw him card for four birdies. His fourth round saw him record six birdies and an eagle as he climbed all the way to second place. 

The 32-year-old matched the lowest score ever at the Masters and finished seven under for the tournament. 

Smith, who entered Sunday at six under par, also made strides in the fourth round in an attempt to cut down Scheffler's lead. He birdied on the first two holes before adding two more birdies on the seventh and 11th holes to move to one under for the day.

However, he slipped up on the 12th hole, carding a triple-bogey, and faded fast, which essentially put him out of contention for the green jacket with the way Scheffler was playing. 

Meanwhile, Tiger Woods finished 47th after finishing six over par in the fourth round to bring his four-day total to 13 over par. Despite the disappointing result, it was an overall positive step forward for Woods, who was playing in his first major tournament since suffering significant leg injuries in a February 2021 car crash.

After finishing the final round, the 46-year-old received a standing ovation from the Augusta National crowd. He also confirmed he would be playing The Open Championship at St. Andrews this summer, but that he would not be playing a full schedule again. 

With the Masters now complete, players will begin preparing for RBC Heritage and a number of other events before the PGA Championship in May and U.S. Open in June.