Tiger Woods accepts special exemption to play US Open in June

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Tiger Woods accepted a special exemption to play in the upcoming U.S. Open tournament, the United States Golf Association (USGA) announced Thursday.

The 124th U.S. Open will take place at Pinehurst Resort & Country Club’s Course No. 2 in Pinehurst, North Carolina, from June 13-16.

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Tiger Woods of the U.S. holds his trophy after defeating Rocco Mediate in the sudden death playoff at the 108th U.S. Open golf tournament at Torrey Pines Golf Course in San Diego on June 16, 2008. (ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images)

"The U.S. Open, our national championship, is a truly special event for our game and one that has helped define my career," Woods said in a news release. "I’m honored to receive this exemption and could not be more excited for the opportunity to compete in this year’s U.S. Open, especially at Pinehurst, a venue that means so much to the game."

Woods is a three-time U.S. Open champion, having won in 2000, 2002 and 2008. However, injuries and age have hampered some of the abilities fans have been used to seeing.

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Tiger Woods of the United States plays his shot from the 13th tee during the second round of THE PLAYERS Championship on the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass on May 11, 2018 in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. (Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)

The last U.S. Open Woods played was in 2020 – he missed the cut. He made the cut in 2019 and finished tied for 21st. It was the same year he stunned the sports world with a win at the Masters. It was the last major he won. He also missed the cut in 2018 and 2015.

Woods looked decent through the first two rounds of this past Masters but fell off in the third and fourth rounds. The rest in between tournaments may help him try to be in the running for the top spot at Pinehurst in a little more than a month.

Tiger Woods preparing for the Open Championship in 2022. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

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"The story of the U.S. Open could not be written without Tiger Woods," USGA chief championships officer John Bodenhamer said in a news release. "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."