Tiger Woods has made an early arrival for the US Open, turning up at Pinehurst in North Carolina on Sunday ahead of the third major of the year.
The 48-year-old Woods had a first look at the course over the weekend as he looked to get a head-start on the rest of the field. Justin Rose, Jordan Spieth and Rickie Fowler were also in attendance over the weekend.
Woods is preparing for just his fourth start of the season and first since the PGA Championship, where he missed the cut. He didn’t fare much better at the Masters this year, finishing last after making it to the weekend.
The 15-time major winner sparked concern among fans last week when video emerged of him seemingly slurring his words while being recorded by fans at his own charity poker event in Las Vegas.
Woods also seemed a little bit dazed in the clip and fans were unsure if he was simply having a good time or if there was anything to be concerned about.
Tiger Woods has made an early arrival at Pinehurst for the upcoming US Open
The 48-year-old Woods is getting an early look at the course before the next major
One golf fan account posted: ‘Can we be real for a second here? Is there nobody close enough to him in his camp that can step in and get him some real help? Somebody in his family? Anyone?’
Woods has not commented on the video, but it seems to have been business as usual since then for one of the game’s all-time greats.
He was reportedly in New York on Friday for a meeting between the PGA Tour and Saudi-backed LIV Golf, as the two organizations work towards merging.
While suggestions of a US Open victory are fanciful, it would no doubt mean a lot to Woods to turn up and compete this week.
A close friend of Woods was quoted by the New York Post as saying that he was growing frustrated with his struggles on the course this year and fears how his career may one day end.
Woods had sparked concerns amongst golf fans after a viral clip from a charity event
The footage came from Woods’ appearance at his own Las Vegas charity event
‘It’s setback after setback for him, and it’s really weighing heavily on him,’ the friend said. ‘He’s really frustrated as he figures out how to come back.
‘He was p***ed at himself (at the PGA Championship). He’s got to do better. He would hate to have his career end up with him just limping around like a tired old horse. He doesn’t want to be embarrassing. He still wants to be a force.’
Scottie Scheffler is the favorite to win at Pinehurst. The World No 1 had the perfect preparation for the event, winning the Memorial Tournament at Muirfield on Sunday.
