Tiger Woods at the 2024 Masters Tournament. GETTY IMAGES

Tiger Woods nearly lost his right leg after a 2021 car accident but vowed to return to the PGA Tour. Currently ranked 789th in the world, the 15-time major winner and golfing legend has accepted the invite for next month’s signature American tournament.

The US Golf Association announced on Thursday that the three-time US Open champion, who has struggled just to walk 72 holes after his car crash three years ago and has battled various injuries and ailments since, had been awarded a special exemption in order to compete in the 124th US Open next month at Pinehurst.


"The US Open, our national championship, is a truly special event for our game and one that has helped define my career," Woods said in a statement. Tiger, now 48 years old, is no longer the superstar he once was and has played sparingly since the accident, but still carries headliner status and a winning aura among golf fans and expressed his hope on playing at least monthly this season.

"I'm honoured to receive this exemption and could not be more excited for the opportunity to compete in this year's US Open, especially at Pinehurst, a venue that means so much to the game," he said. The American finished 60th, last among those who made the cut, in last month's Masters, yet completed 72 holes in a major for the first time since his 2022 Masters comeback. Since 2013, Woods has finished 72 holes at the US Open only once, taking 21st in 2019, only two months after winning the Masters. He missed the cut in 2015, 2018 and 2020 and did not play in the remaining years.



The tournament will be staged on June 13-16 at the famed North Carolina layout, where US Open titles were won by the late Payne Stewart in 1999, New Zealand's Michael Campbell in 2005 and Germany's Martin Kaymer in 2014. Woods won the 2000, 2002 and 2008 US Opens and his 82 PGA Tour triumphs matches Sam Snead for the all-time record. Thanks to the special exemption, he will make his 23rd US Open appearance, playing the tournament for the first time since 2020 at Winged Foot.

"The story of the US Open could not be written without Tiger Woods," USGA chief championships officer John Bodenhamer said. "From his 15-stroke victory at Pebble Beach in 2000 to his inspiring win on a broken leg at Torrey Pines in 2008, this championship is simply better when Tiger is in the field and his accomplishments in the game undoubtedly made this an easy decision for our special exemption committee."

Woods is expected to make his next major start in two weeks at Valhalla in Louisville, Kentucky, at the PGA Championship.