Tiger Woods's Masters preparation has hit a snag. The golf legend is skipping next week's Hoag Classic, which was set to be his Champions Tour debut. The decision now has fans questioning if his health will hold up for Augusta.

TWLEGION, a golf fan community on X, shared a post stating, “Tiger Woods fails to commit to next week’s Hoag Classic, putting to rest and possibility of a Champions Tour start prior to The Masters.”

Hoag Classic is scheduled for March 27-29, the week after the Masters Tournament, with a $2.2 million purse. And Woods skipping a preparatory event raised a few eyebrows regarding his health. Interestingly, this was supposed to be Woods' debut on the PGA Tour Champions.

However, the 15-time major champion is likely focusing on the upcoming Masters Tournament. He’s getting as much rest as he can before teeing it off at Augusta National. And that comes following his return after a lumbar disc replacement procedure that he’s still recovering from. 

But what do the fans think of his absence from the Hoag Classic?

Fans Provide Split Opinions Regarding Tiger Woods’ Stance at Hoag Classic

Most fans seemed to believe that the 2026 Masters Tournament might be the final run for the 82-time PGA Tour winner. One fan commented on TWLEGION’s post, “prob tee off at masters and quit.” Another fan added to the notion and wrote, “he’s done. pains me to say but its over :(.”

Meanwhile, a few fans believed that Woods’ stance at Augusta National might also be in uncertainty. With the nature of his recent injuries (Achilles tendon tear and lumbar disc compression), fans doubt, “It’s not news until he says he’s going to play. Even then, bank on a WD.”

One fan reflected on his age (50 years) and injury history and commented, “Tiger’s just not ready for tournament golf yet. He’ll hopefully be ready in the near future.”

However, there were many others who stood in favor of the 15-time major champion. One fan wrote, “I don’t know why people are complaining about this, this is good. He wants to be as healthy as he can be before the Masters.” And even though Woods is on the verge of retirement, and might play just a couple more events upon his return, fans deemed him “still the greatest.” 

As a 50-year-old, Woods’ recovery has significantly slowed, and he’s now more prone to injury. Hence, taking a break after competing in the Masters might actually be a good decision for his health. 

Written by

Krushna Pattnaik

Edited by

Siddharth Shirwadkar