Former major rivals ‘can’t wait’ for Tiger Woods to be eligible for Champions Tour
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.
