Tiger Woods’ battered body survived but the 50-year-old ‘got his a** kicked’ on his long-awaited return to golf on Tuesday night.
The 15-time major champion was supported by his girlfriend Vanessa Trump – and her daughter Kai – as his Jupiter Links GC lost the finals of the second season of TGL.
Woods’ return to action comes just weeks before The Masters, fueling speculation that the 50-year-old could yet play at Augusta National.
But in game two of the TGL finals, Jupiter Links was beaten badly by Los Angeles Golf Club at SoFi Center in Florida. Woods, Tom Kim and Max Homa lost 9-2 to Justin Rose, Sahith Theegala and Tommy Fleetwood.
Vanessa Trump – the former daughter-in-law of Donald Trump – was in the crowd at alongside the president’s teenage granddaughter, Kai. Serena Williams – who co-owns the LA team with her husband and sister, Venus – was also in the stands.
Woods has not played in a PGA Tour event since the 2024 Open Championship. He then underwent yet another back surgery before playing in TGL in early 2025. But Woods’ hopes of a comeback were dashed when he tore his Achilles.
Tiger Woods made his much-anticipated return to golf for Jupiter Links on Tuesday night
The golf legends’ girlfriend Vanessa Trump (pictured here on Monday) was among the crowd
Tennis icon Serena Williams – a co-owner of Los Angeles Golf Club – was also in the stands
That sidelined the 15-time major champion for the rest of 2025. Woods then had disk replacement surgery in October.
He has teased a return at next month’s Masters at Augusta National and Tuesday’s TGL match represented a huge step forward for the golf legend.
His life off the course has also come under the spotlight in recent months after reports emerged that Vanessa Trump feels ‘insecure’ about their romance.
The golfer and Trump, 48, the ex-wife Donald Trump Jr., went public with their relationship last March, and were most recently spotted cozying up to one another at the Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club in greater Los Angeles.
However, reports claim Woods, who split from his ex-wife Elin Nordegren 2010 amid cheating allegations, reportedly feels stifled in his relationship with Trump.
‘She’s insecure when it comes to him and other women,’ a source told the National Enquirer. ‘So Vanessa follows Tiger everywhere and checks up on him and what he’s up to through mutual friends when they’re not together.’
‘Tiger’s feeling henpecked and stifled,’ they added. ‘He wants Vanessa to trust him and not judge him on prior behavior. But the more serious they get, the more fearful she becomes that Tiger will slide into bad habits and self-sabotage.’
Trump has been by Woods’ side at a number of high-profile appearances over the past few months, including the 15-time major winner’s lavish 50th birthday bash in January.
