Tiger Woods debuts at the PGA... as a designer

The WWT Championship has been a source of notable stories on the PGA Tour in recent years. From the frugality exhibited by Matt Kuchar towards his caddie after his victory in 2019, to Viktor Hovland’s consecutive triumphs in 2021 and 2022, which marked the launch of a successful career in today’s golfing world.

The tournament is no longer held at El Camaleón in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, as it was back then. That venue was ‘acquired’ by the LIV organisation for this year, prompting the PGA event to be relocated, which has given rise to another intriguing narrative: Tiger Woods making his PGA debut as a course designer.

The designer eye of the Tiger

The new chosen location, on the opposite side of the country along its Pacific coast, is Diamante, a resort situated in the exclusive Los Cabos area featuring three courses. One of these courses was designed by the renowned former golfer Davis Love III, while the other two bear Tiger’s signature: The Oasis Short Course, a par 3, and El Cardonal. The latter, a 6,814-meter par 72, will be the course in play for the tournament. This will mark the first time one of Tiger’s designs is used in the PGA.

El Cardonal is inspired by the golf courses of the ‘Golden Age’ on the American West Coast, which Woods grew up playing, as stated on the website of Tiger’s design firm, TGR Design. Built on coastal dunes, it rewards strategic play and “wise decisions.” This course is one of the standout projects among the 13 that the company has already completed or has in progress, including Trout National in New Jersey, a collaboration with baseball star Mike Trout, and Payne’s Valley, a tribute to the late Payne Stewart in the Ozarks region.

Course design is just one facet of the extensive business empire associated with the Tiger Woods brand. This empire has been developed by Tiger himself as his professional golfing career took a back seat due to recurring physical issues. It encompasses ventures such as restaurant ownership and TGL, a new virtual team competition format that Tiger launched in partnership with Rory McIlroy, in which Jon Rahm will also participate.

Seven months, no Tiger Woods

Despite recently making headlines for reasons other than his golfing performance, Tiger is not yet retired from the game. His body simply cannot handle more than the two tournaments he played this year, the Genesis in February and the Masters in April. It has been nearly seven months since he withdrew after the first two rounds at Augusta, which were the last competitive rounds he played. Since then, glimpses of Tiger’s swing have appeared on social media, confirming that his physical condition is far from the formidable athlete he once was.

Fans hope for Tiger return to play

The Californian has reserved a spot for himself in the Hero World Challenge (from November 30th to December 3rd), an unofficial tournament in the Bahamas that he sponsors. However, he has not yet confirmed his participation.

Looking ahead to 2024, we can expect to see him at the Genesis, an event of which he is the host, and at the Masters, the only major tournament that he has regarded as a must-attend event since his serious car accident in 2021, which nearly cost him his legs. Unfortunately, beyond these events, there are still many uncertainties.