Tiger Woods will line-up at the 152nd Open Championship this week.
Tiger Woods was all smiles with caddie Lance Bennett at Royal Troon. (Image: Getty)
Tiger Woods and new caddie Lance Bennett were both in stitches at Royal Troon on Sunday as the 15-time major champion geared up for The Open Championship. Woods is back in Scotland for the first time since his emotional farewell to St Andrews two years ago, with the 48-year-old aiming to make the cut at the tournament for the first time since 2018.
Woods teamed up with Bennett at the start of 2024, but the pair have only managed ten competitive rounds together since.
Four of those came at the US Masters in April, while he also played the US PGA and US Open but failed to last until the weekend in both tournaments.
Indeed, this year will signify the first time since 2019 that Woods has played in all four major championships, the season where he managed his last major victory at Augusta. And it appears the camaraderie between him and Bennett is strong as Woods played his first practice round ahead of seeing off on Thursday.
According to Bunkered, on the 10th tee Woods referred to his driver as a “motherf**ker,” which had both men laughing heartily. It followed a front nine where the pair had been regularly spotted joking and smiling with one another.
They were also said to have been overheard talking about the Scottish summer as they ventured down the 16th. Woods reportedly noted the bright nights in the country during July, while also discussing conditions in Sweden.
Woods has three claret jugs to his name. (Image: Getty)
Notably, Woods also opted to play his first warm-up round without a partner. He’s regularly seen playing with great friend Justin Thomas in the build-up to tournaments, while son Charlie is also frequently seen alongside him on courses in America.
The move could be perceived to be an attempt to bond further with Bennett. Woods also played the full 18 holes, a feat he is unlikely to repeat ahead of Thursday given his limited schedule and ongoing physical problems.
The Open comes just days after Woods rejected the chance to captain the US Ryder Cup team in 2025. The icon was the favourite to lead his country’s bid to regain the trophy in Bethpage Black, but cited his off-course commitments with the PGA Tour as a factor in his reluctance to take the role.
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Woods has continually insisted he can win more major titles before he eventually steps away from the sport. However, in reality just making the cut in Scotland would signify a commendable effort given his lack of playing time this year.
The icon has three Open titles to his name, with his first two wins coming at St Andrews in 2000 and 2005. His third triumph came amid emotional scenes the following year at Hoylake, his first tournament win since the death of his father Earl.
