EXCLUSIVE: Tiger Woods’ emotional St Andrews farewell was all planned

Tiger Woods doffs his cap to the crowd as he crosses the Swilken Bridge during his walk down the 18th hole at the end of his second round at the 150th Open Championship.

The R&A planned for Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy to cross paths as the 15-time Major champion made his final St Andrews Open Championship walk down the Old Course’s 18^th hole.

Today’s Golfer has had it confirmed that the tee times were set to give it the best possible chance of happening and the plan came together perfectly.

Speaking exclusively to Today’s Golfer just moments after Woods’ emotional farewell, R&A Chief Executive Martin Slumbers smiled broadly when we asked if he would talk about the plan, simply responding “we’ll just say it’s a happy coincidence, and leave it at that” as he applauded the three-time Open champion off the 18^th green.

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But our sources tell us that it was far from that, and Mcilroy’s manager was even aware of the idea, which has been discussed for months ago. The R&A even had hopes of an image of Tiger and Rory together on the Swilken Bridge, just as Woods and Jack Nicklaus had earlier in the week, but that did not happen.

Instead, Woods’ playing partners Matt Fitzpatrick, Max Homa, and the group’s three caddies held back to allow the 46-year-old to cross the bridge, where so many other greats have waved goodbye to the Home of Golf, alone. Woods removed his cap and waved to the loud and emotional crowd. McIlroy, meanwhile, doffed his cap towards his friend and hero, while Justin Thomas, the man Woods described as being like a “little brother” earlier in the week, watched on from the 1^st tee.

Woods’ walk to the green was greeted by noise louder than that normally reserved for the Champion Golfer of the Year as he makes the famous walk on a Sunday evening.

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“Electric, simply electric. It was part of history,” Slumbers smiled when we asked him to put the moment into words.

While the early weather threatened to put a dampener on the occasion, the morning rain subsided, the skies cleared and the sun shone as Tiger, the winner here in 2000 and 2005, tapped in for par, signalling another wave of noise.

Doffing his cap to all corners of the crowd before shaking hands with his playing partners and their caddies, Woods saved a particularly hearty embrace for his former bagman Billy Foster, who now caddies for US Open champ Fitzpatrick, before walking past us up the steps to the R&A clubhouse, looking both disappointed and emotional.

Barring a victorious walk for a red-and-black-emblazoned Tiger come Sunday, it couldn’t have worked better for the R&A and the 150^th Open, with Slumbers beaming with pride and applauding as loudly as anyone as the legendary figure passed.

 “He’s made this game what it is today and I think it’s just wonderful,” he replied when asked to sum up Woods’ impact on The Open and what it meant to have him playing this week.

“When a man of his stature in the sport stands and says this is his most favourite golf course in the world, I think that that says it all. It just added to an incredible occasion. Earlier in the week was just extraordinary, just being able to watch him play at St Andrews again.”

Meanwhile, Woods admitted the moment had got to him and there had been some tears as he walked towards his ball in front of the 18th green.

“Yes, it’s very emotional for me,” he said. “I’ve been coming here since 1995, and I don’t know when – I think the
next one comes around in what, 2030 – and I don’t know if I will be physically able to play by then. So to me it felt like this might have been my last British Open here at St Andrews. And the fans, the ovation and the warmth, it was an unbelievable feeling.

“I understand what Jack and Arnold had gone through in the past. I was kind of feeling that way there at the end. And just the collective warmth and understanding. They understand what golf’s all about and what it takes to be an Open champion.

“I’ve been lucky enough and fortunate enough to have won this twice here. And it felt very emotional, just because I just don’t know what my health is going to be like. And I feel like I will be able to play future British Opens, but I don’t know if I’ll be able to play that long enough that when it comes back around here, will I still be playing?”

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Woods also praised his fellow professionals and The Open’s officials for the level of respect they had shown him.

“The warmth and the ovation at 18, it got to me,” he reflected. “And I felt the guys stop there off the tee on 18, and it was just incredible. Just the amount of understanding and respect from all the people that are involved in this event, that come out in support of the players, the nods I was getting as the players were going out.

“I looked over, and Rory gave me a tip of the cap. JT did the same. It’s just there’s something to it that’s just different.”

And despite a nine-over-par total and missed cut, Tiger hasn’t lost any of his love for the famous course.

“It still is [my favourite]. This is my favourite golf course. I fell in love with it back in 1995. And it hasn’t changed. I just love how it can be played in so many different ways. And, again, today, we had winter this morning and we had summer this afternoon. So it’s just the way it goes around here.”

The good news for Woods, who was made an honorary member earlier this week, is that he can return whenever he chooses, and he certainly plans to.

“I’m sure my son will probably want me to come back here and play,” he smiled. “I was fortunate enough to have gotten an honorary membership to The R&A. I have my locker here right when you walk into the left here. That’s
pretty neat… And because of that I’m able to get a tee time (laughs).”

So while it wasn’t the St Andrews ending that Woods, the fans, or we had dreamed of, it was a fitting send-off for a true legend of these links. And while some things can’t be planned, if it can’t be Woods lifting the Claret Jug, we can only hope that it’s his old pal and pretender to the throne, Rory, being announced as the 150^th Champion Golfer of the Year come Sunday evening.

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