Tiger Woods opens door to shock retirement and claims The Open at Royal Troon next month could be his last

TIGER WOODS dropped a major retirement clue after the 15-time Major winner missed the cut at the US Open on Friday.

Woods, 48, admitted the 2024 edition “may or may not” have been his last appearance at Pinehurst.

The three-time US Open champion failed to qualify for this tournament on merit for the first time in his career, meaning he needed a special exemption from the United States Golf Association.

But Woods finished the week seven shots over par and two shots outside the cut and was therefore eliminated from the final two rounds.

Woods has a lifetime exemption to the Masters and PGA Championship and can play in The Open until age 60, but does not automatically qualify for the U.S. Open.

When asked if this year could be his last, Woods said: “As far as my last Open or US Open, I don’t know what it is.

“It’s one of those things where, to win a golf tournament, you have to go through. I can’t win the tournament from where I am, so it’s certainly frustrating.

“I thought I played well enough to be in contention. It just didn’t work out.

“That was probably the best score I could have had today.

“I only have one more tournament this season. I don’t think that even if I win the British Open, I won’t be in the PGA Tour play-offs.

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“Just one more event and I’ll be back whenever I come back.”

Woods’ shocking statement overshadowed an action-packed second round in North Carolina that saw Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg at the top of the star-studded leaderboard.

With Bryson DeChambeau and Rory McIlroy among the pursuers.

The former world number 1 received a special invitation from the US Golf Association to participate in this year’s tournament.

Any player who has won the US Open in the last 10 years will receive an automatic invitation, but Woods last won in 2008.

There is no guarantee he will get one again, with Woods previously insisting he would only play if he had a chance to win tournaments.

Meanwhile, Woods has been plagued by injuries in recent years after going through his FIFTH back surgery in December 2020.

Then, in February 2021, the golf icon suffered multiple leg injuries in a car accident in California after his vehicle rolled over and landed in a ditch.

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