Tiger Woods set to participate in TGL finals at Jupiter Links in 2026
Tiger Woods is set to return to competitive golf on Tuesday night, which is timely for his Jupiter Links TGL team.
Woods informed ESPN that he will participate in Match 2 of the best-of-3 TGL finals, a choice he announced following Jupiter Links’ narrow 6-5 defeat to Los Angeles in the first match on Monday night in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.
Woods leads the Jupiter team but has been sidelined all year as he recuperates from back surgery performed in October. Jupiter had been utilizing Akshay Bhatia as a substitute, but Bhatia is competing in the Hero Indian Open this week in New Delhi on the European tour.
In the match against L.A. on Monday, Jupiter fielded Tom Kim, Kevin Kisner, and Max Homa. Kisner, who has been commentating for NBC during the Florida swing on the PGA Tour, was in the lineup for just the second time since February 2.
Woods’ team, which barely made it into the TGL playoffs, could have been leading 1-0 in the finals, but Sahith Theegala — who had a challenging night — found the fairway on the 15th and final hole, setting up a two-putt birdie that turned the match in favor of Los Angeles.
Theegala hit two tee shots out of bounds and sent another drive into a bunker, preventing L.A. from reaching the green in two on a par 5. He also missed a 3-foot putt that cost his team a point. However, he ultimately delivered a winning shot.
Jupiter was ahead 5-4 going to the par-5 closing hole, and L.A. made a strong move, meaning the hole was worth two points. Theegala launched his drive into the fairway, setting up a second shot from 35 feet. Kisner’s tee shot barely trickled into the rough, and he found the rough again on his second shot, with a wedge that fell short of the green. His birdie chip from 20 feet to tie the hole — and win the match — just missed.
Jupiter had taken a 3-2 advantage after an alternate shot format involving all three players through nine holes.
L.A. claimed the first two holes of singles to take the lead, only for Kisner to drive onto the green at No. 12 after Theegala had gone into a hazard. That leveled the match at 4.
Jupiter regained the lead at 5-4 when Justin Rose three-putted from a distance. Kim hit his tee shot on a par 3 to 6 feet, and Jupiter made a strong move. L.A. accepted, meaning if it lost the hole, it would lose the match. Tommy Fleetwood responded with a tee shot to 4 feet for matching birdies.
This brought the match to the 15th and final hole, where Theegala’s length and precision proved decisive.
If Jupiter is to win Match 2 on Tuesday night, Match 3 will take place immediately afterward at the SoFi Center.
Woods, 50, underwent lumbar disk replacement surgery in October. He also ruptured his left Achilles last March.
The 15-time major champion has not participated in an event since the Open Championship at Royal Troon in 2024.
He has remained quiet regarding his status for next month’s Masters, stating last week: “I said I’ve been working on it. Sometimes I have good days, sometimes I have bad days. Disk replacement is not a lot of fun.”
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
