'We Wanted To Celebrate His Exceptionalism' - Jay Monahan Explains Tiger Woods' Special Exemption

PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan says that giving Tiger Woods a special exemption into all Signature Events was a move that officials and players all wanted to make to celebrate his achievements.

Monahan revealed the move in a memo to players ahead of the Travelers Championship - saying a special exemption category just for Woods would let him play in all eight Signature Events from next season onwards.

The decision, taken by the PGA Tour board and Players Advisory Council, is to recognise Woods' incredible achievements including 82 victories over his career.

In the memo, the PGA Tour said: "An additional sponsor exemption will be created to recognize Tiger Woods in his own category as a player who has reached an exceptional lifetime achievement threshold of 80+ career wins."

The 48-year-old can play in three of the four Majors by right, but needed a special exemption into the US Open this year - which may continue in the same way Jack Nicklaus received eight towards the end of his career.

He does not qualify for the eight Signature Events though, and with all the attention and publicity he brings whenever he tees it up, that's something the PGA Tour wanted to fix.

"I think it was important to our membership, it's something we talked about with the PAC, it was important to our player directors, it was important to our board, it's important to me because, you know, the man, as the exemption says, has won more than 80 events," Monahan said about the Woods exemption at a press conference.

"And I think being able to give him the opportunity to compete in these events - any event he's ever played in he's made it bigger, he's made it better, he's drawn more eyeballs to it, and I think just as an organization we wanted to celebrate his exceptionalism in that manner."

Woods stated that his goal for this year was to play once a month, but after he withdrew from the Genesis Invitational in round two due to illness he's been reduced to appearing just in the Majors.

He finished bottom of the leaderboard from those that completed The Masters, but did set a new record for making 24 consecutive cuts at Augusta National.

Although he's shown he can still play all the shots, mobility and sharpness remain big issues - and Woods says he's caught between trying to play more but risking injury or being fit but rusty when he does play. 

"I'm physically getting better as the year has gone on," Woods said at Pinehurst. "I just haven't been able to play as much because I just don't want to hurt myself pre, then I won't be able to play in the major championships.

"It's pick your poison, right? Play a lot with the potential of not playing, or not playing and fight being not as sharp."

The eight Signature Events in the 2024 PGA Tour campaign included The Sentry, the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, the Genesis Invitational, the Arnold Palmer Invitational, the RBC Heritage, the Wells Fargo Championship, the Memorial Tournament, and this week's Travelers Championship.

Much has been made of the schedule, which has seen the Memorial, US Open and Travelers Championship being played in three straight weeks - that's a schedule Woods would have no chance in playing due to his physical condition.

Monahan did say the schedule would be looked at though, and Woods will likely pick and choose his events anyway - with no doubt that once per month schedule still in his mind.