Tiger Woods has unique 'Tiger rule' in PGA Tour golf that no other player has been allowed

Golf superstar Tiger Woods has a unique 'Tiger rule' that nobody else on the PGA Tour can take advantage of.

On Thursday, the second golf major of the 2025 got underway as the PGA Championship began at the Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina.

However, when the action began there was one name that was notably absent from the leaderboard as 15-time Major champion Woods is currently sidelined as he recovers from surgery on a ruptured Achilles tendon.

If Woods had been fully fit and recovered ahead of the first day of action in North Carolina, the lifetime exemptions handed to him for winning the PGA Championship previously would allow him to automatically qualify.

And now, Woods has been handed a similar exemption for several other events, as details of a special 'Tiger rule' that permits Woods to enter into any of the limited-field signature events on the PGA tour have been revealed.

Tiger Woods is viewed by many as the greatest golf player of all time. (Image: Getty)

According to a report from Sky Sports, the PGA board agreed to grant Woods a ‘Lifetime Achievement Exemption’, meaning he can enter into any of eight Signature Events that take place every year.

Signature Events are limited-field tournaments that feature some of the top players across the world with greatly increased prize money.

In 2024, three of the eight Signature events featured a 36-hole cut while the remaining five did not have a cut.

All eight events are some of the most rewarding events of the year, with the Travelers Championship, which is the final event of the season, offering $20million.

Tiger Woods last event was The Open in July last year. (Image: Getty)

With Woods' fitness causing consistent problems throughout his recent career, it remains to be seen if the American will make use of this rule.

The last time that the 49-year-old stepped out onto the golf course was for The Open at Royal Troon in July last year, and he's not expected to be back until the end of the year at the earliest.

He had entered the field for the Genesis Invitational at Torrey Pines earlier this year, but pulled out following the death of his mother, Kultida.

A month later, he underwent the surgery on his achilles tendon.