Tiger Woods and Rocco Mediate stand at the awards table after Woods won the 108th U.S. Open at Torrey Pines Golf Course.
Although more than two years away, it’s never too early to start prepping for a major 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡day. On Dec. 30, 2026, Tiger Woods will turn 50. He’ll be surrounded by friends, family, loved ones … and perhaps Rocco Mediate and Padraig Harrington with a tee time all set up.
Just this week, Mediate admitted that PGA Tour Champions is certainly a good deal “quieter” than the PGA Tour and that he’s looking forward to the chance for more commotion surrounding the 50-and-older tour. Perhaps no one in golf history could bring some energy like Tiger Woods, and the 2008 U.S. Open runner-up (to Woods, of course) knows what the golf great can bring.
“I like it noisy. I like more people,” Mediate told the Detroit News. “I can’t wait. What else are you gonna do? That’d be the only thing I’d say to him. If he’s healthy, he can still compete on the regular tour as long as he wants. But if he’s not, he can ride around in a cart out here, which he’ll do because it’s OK out here … and it’s competition, and it’s another era to break all the records.
“It’d be great to have him back, and he’ll have a ball. It’s all his buddies. It’s all his friends.”
Padraig Harrington shares a joke with Tiger Woods on the final day of the 2001 Dubai Desert Classic at the Emirates GC in Dubai.
David Cannon
Mediate isn’t the only golf elder waiting for Woods to be eligible for PGA Tour Champions. Three-time major champ and frequent Woods adversary Padraig Harrington stated that he spoke to Woods recently and believes that he has the “intention of playing.”
The Irishman even admitted that Woods has already started trash-talking him. The two ran into each other at the PNC Championship back in December and Woods “laughed” at him and then went for the jugular.
“I think his words were, ‘I can’t wait to beat you out on the Champions Tour or something like that’. He doesn’t want me to have it all my own way, let’s put it like that! I’m looking forward to the challenge,” Harrington said.
Tiger Mania on the Champions Tour is oh-so-close and might change the hierarchy of golf … at least when Woods is teeing off. Fellow 40-something and major winner Geoff Ogilvy has said as much.
“Interest both from fans and sponsors is going to be through the roof,” he said. “I think there’s a good chance that Champions Tour ratings can top the PGA Tour when he decides to play. And what else is he going to?”
