Tiger Woods ahead of the 2024 U.S. Open.
Getty Images The last time we saw Tiger Woods at a golf tournament in front of a microphone — at last month’s PGA Championship, following a missed cut — he explained his ongoing dilemma. To play well in a tournament he needs to play more tournaments. But his body won’t allow him to play more tournaments.
He sounded sad as he laid it out, like he’s trying desperately to solve a problem with no solution. But one tournament’s late-week hopelessness is the next tournament’s fresh start. They hand out optimism at the registration table.
So when Woods met with the media on Tuesday morning ahead of this week’s U.S. Open, he brought a wide smile and a long list of things that have him excited.
He’s excited to be back playing a U.S. Open at Pinehurst No.
2 , for starters. Woods missed the 2014 playing of the event, so before last week’s scouting mission he hadn’t been here since 2005, when he finished second to Michael Campbell. He finished third in 1999, his other start here.
“It’s great to be back,” he said. “I love U.S.
Opens. I love the tests of U.S.
Opens. I’ve had a little bit of success here back in ’99 and 2005. I’m looking forward to this week and getting it underway.
” He’s excited specifically about the condition of the course, which promises to play firm and fast and test every aspect of a player’s creativity. “Nothing can simulate what we have here this particular week, the amount of littl.