Tiger Woods To Retire At St Andrews - Sky Sports Analyst Predicts

Simon Holmes thinks Woods may bow out of professional golf at St Andrews this July

Tiger Woods watches his shot
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Tiger Woods returned to the golf course in December at the PNC Championship just 10 months after his horrific LA car crash that saw him require a rod inserted into his leg as well as screws and pins inserted into his ankle. His comeback in Orlando, where he and son Charlie finished second to the Dalys, was simply remarkable. Many golf fans are now expecting the 15-time Major winner to return this year and potentially even win more tournaments and Majors over the coming years.

However, coach and Sky Sports analyst Simon Holmes thinks that Woods' body may no longer be able to cope with the stresses and practice required to get back out on Tour for good. Whilst predicting the biggest moment of 2022, Holmes and presenter Rob Lee both thought Woods would be involved in the biggest story of the year. Lee went for Woods to win another tournament, whilst Holmes went for Woods to retire.

The Englishman, who has worked with the likes of Seve Ballesteros, Sir Nick Faldo and Bernhard Langer, predicted that Tiger would retire this July at the 150th Open at St Andrews. “I really hope it doesn’t happen, but it’s something I think that could happen," he said during Sky Sports' coverage of the Sentry Tournament of Champions. “Jack and Arnie did the same thing on the Swilken Bridge when they played in their last Major and I could just see Tiger thinking it would be a nice way to go out.”

Tiger Woods smiles and looks at the Claret Jug after winning the 2005 Open

Woods won his second-consecutive St Andrews Open in 2005

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Woods' close friend John Cook recently told the Golf Channel that he thinks Woods will not be ready for this year's Majors and will instead opt to make his next appearance at the 2022 PNC Championship in December. “I don’t see it in the next 12 months,” Cook said. “I think next time we see him will be [at the PNC Championship] next year [in 2022]. I don’t think his body will be physically ready. He can’t train the way he’s going to want to train.” 

Woods has won two Open Championships at St Andrews, in 2000 and 2005. He recently said that he would "love" to tee it up at the 150th Open this summer. "I would love to play at St Andrews," he said. "It's my favourite golf course in the world. To be a two-time Open champion there, just being a part of the champions dinner is really neat."

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Elliott Heath
News Editor

Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news team as well as our large Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. He covered the 2022 Masters from Augusta National as well as five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. His first Open was in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, when he walked inside the ropes with Jordan Spieth during the Texan's memorable Claret Jug triumph. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Western Gailes, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays off of a six handicap. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!

Elliott is currently playing:

Driver: Titleist TSR4

3 wood: Titleist TSi2

Hybrids: Titleist 816 H1

Irons: Mizuno MP5 5-PW

Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58

Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5

Ball: Srixon Z Star XV