Tiger Woods gets special exemption to US Open at Pinehurst

Tiger Woods accepted a peculiar exemption for the U.S. Open astatine Pinehurst No. 2, the archetypal clip the three-time champion has needed an exemption to play.

Woods has been exempt for each U.S. Open since helium archetypal played successful 1995 arsenic the reigning U.S. Amateur champion. His five-year exemption from winning the 2019 Masters expired past year.

The exemption was expected and apt to beryllium the archetypal of many. The USGA is peculiar astir who is exempt from qualifying, past awarding 1 successful 2021 to Phil Mickelson.

Jack Nicklaus, with 4 U.S. Open titles among his 18 nonrecreational majors, received a grounds 8 peculiar exemptions, including 5 successful a enactment until helium stopped playing the U.S. Open aft 2000 astatine Pebble Beach.

Arnold Palmer received 5 U.S. Open exemptions, the past 1 successful 1994 erstwhile helium returned to Oakmont adjacent his hometown for a tearful farewell.

Woods won the 2000 U.S. Open astatine Pebble Beach by 15 shots, a grounds borderline of triumph for immoderate large champion. He added different rubric successful 2002 astatine Bethpage Black successful New York, and helium famously won his 3rd U.S. Open astatine Torrey Pines successful 2008 conscionable a week earlier helium had reconstructive country connected his near knee.

“The U.S. Open, our nationalist championship, is simply a genuinely peculiar lawsuit for our crippled and 1 that has helped specify my career,” Woods said successful a statement. "I’m honored to person this exemption and could not beryllium much excited for the accidental to vie successful this year’s U.S. Open, particularly astatine Pinehurst, a venue that means truthful overmuch to the game.”

The U.S. Open is June 13-16 astatine Pinehurst No. 2, which is staging the Open for the 4th time. Woods tied for third, 2 shots down the precocious Payne Stewart, successful 1999. He was runner-up astatine Pinehurst successful 2005 to Michael Campbell. He missed the astir caller Open astatine Pinehurst successful 2014 portion recovering from the archetypal of what would beryllium 4 backmost surgeries.

Woods has a agelong past with the USGA arsenic the lone subordinate to triumph the U.S. Junior Amateur 3 consecutive times, followed by the U.S. Amateur 3 consecutive times. His 9 USGA championships are matched lone by amateur large Bobby Jones.

Woods earlier this twelvemonth was selected to person the Bob Jones Award, the highest grant from the USGA.

“The communicative of the U.S. Open could not beryllium written without Tiger Woods,” said John Bodenhamer, the USGA's main championships officer. ”From his 15-stroke triumph astatine Pebble Beach successful 2000 to his inspiring triumph connected a breached limb astatine Torrey Pines successful 2008, this title is simply amended erstwhile Tiger is successful the field, and his accomplishments successful the crippled undoubtedly made this an casual determination for our peculiar exemption committee.”

It volition beryllium the archetypal clip Woods competes successful the U.S. Open since Winged Foot successful 2020, held successful September earlier nary fans due to the fact that of the COVID-19 pandemic.

He crashed his car successful Los Angeles and severely injured his close limb and ankle successful February 2021, causing him to miss the U.S. Open's instrumentality to Torrey Pines. While helium returned to contention a twelvemonth later, the U.S. Open astatine Brookline successful 2022 was the lone large helium didn't play. A twelvemonth ago, Woods had country to fuse his close ankle aft the Masters and did not play the remainder of the year, missing the U.S. Open's debut astatine Los Angeles Country Club.

Woods past contended astatine the U.S. Open successful 2010 astatine Pebble Beach, wherever helium changeable 66 successful the 3rd circular but past closed with a 75 and tied for fourth.

He is expected to play successful the PGA Championship successful 2 weeks astatine Valhalla, wherever helium won successful 2000 connected his mode to capturing each 4 majors consecutively. Woods said during a circular of appearances connected NBC shows earlier this week to beforehand his covering enactment that his program was to play the remaining 3 majors.

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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf