Tiger Woods broke his silence on CBS, offering a subtle but hopeful hint about his chances of playing in the 2026 Masters. While he kept his full plans mysterious, his two-word answer gave fans reason for hope.

Woods appeared on Golf on CBS on February 22, where analyst Trevor Immelman asked him about the Masters field, mentioning players such as Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler, discussed who would be in the Masters field. 

Woods interjected with, “I know I’ll be there,” referring to the Champions Dinner. The remark went beyond the original question about other players in the field.

Immelman asked, following up with a more direct question: “Is there a possibility that you can get out there?”

“There is,” the five-time masters winner responded. Beyond Woods’ status, the 2026 Masters field also reflects an update in qualification criteria.

Woods missed the entire 2025 season after suffering a ruptured Achilles tendon in March 2025. He then underwent lumbar disc replacement surgery in October 2025.

Winners of the PGA Tour’s FedEx Fall events no longer receive automatic invitations. Instead, exemptions have been granted to winners of six national opens: the Scottish Open, Spanish Open, Japan Open, Hong Kong Open, Australian Open, and South African Open.

Meanwhile, Tiger Woods has said that playing in the 2026 Masters is “not off the table” as he continues his recovery from back and Achilles procedures.

Tiger Woods Keeps Preparation Timeline Open

During the interaction, Trevor Immelman asked, “Would you play a tournament before that?”

Tiger Woods did not offer a firm plan. “I don’t know,” Woods replied. “I don’t know whether it’s regular Tour, senior Tour, or member-guest.”

Having turned 50 on December 30, 2025, Woods is now eligible to compete on the PGA Tour Champions.

That eligibility could play a role in his return plans. Woods has indicated interest in the senior circuit because it permits the use of a cart during competition.

"I’ve had to sit on the sidelines for a number of months of this year and the end of last year. I’d like to come back to just playing golf again," he said last year.

That being said, multiple golfers are already lined up for the Masters. Tournament officials confirmed that Rory McIlroy, who won the 2025 Masters in a playoff, will return as defending champion.

Among the early qualified players are Scottie Scheffler, Ludvig Åberg, Jon Rahm, and Bryson DeChambeau

Do you think Tiger Woods will tee it up at Augusta this year? Let us know in the comments!

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Written by

Aditi Singh

Edited by

Sagnik Bagchi