Tiger Woods is inching him closer to a huge career switch after celebrating his 49th 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡day on Monday.

It means the American is now just 12 months away from qualifying for the Champions Tour – with one former major champion already revealing Woods’ desire to participate on it.

Tiger Woods is in line to compete on the Champions Tour in 12 months timeCredit: Getty

To take part in the Champions Tour, players must reach the age of 50 by June 1 of that year, leaving Tiger well placed to join the tour in early 2026.

Players also complete a 72-hole Regional Qualifying Stage, to demonstrate their readiness for senior golf.

Multiple major winner Padraig Harrington revealed Woods’ intention in an interview with Today’s Golfer ahead of the Senior Open at Carnoustie.

“I met Tiger recently and he said he was looking forward to coming out onto the Champions Tour,” Harrington said.

“I think his words were, ‘I can’t wait to beat you out on the Champions Tour’, or something like that.

“He doesn’t want me to have it all my own way, let’s put it like that! I’m looking forward to the challenge.”

Woods would be permitted use a golf cart on the Champions Tour however it remains to be seen whether he will take up that option.

As the golf legend continues to manage injuries caused by a near-fatal car accident in 2021, using a cart could potentially boost his chances of winning on a regular basis.

Regardless, the prospect of Woods lining up against his former friends and competitors is a mouthwatering one for fans and players alike.

Woods and Harrington’s careers have intertwined over the last three decades and the pair could meet again in 2026Credit: AFP

Asked about another possible head-to-head with Woods in the future, Rocco Mediate told the Detroit News earlier this year: “I like it noisy. I like more people. I can’t wait. What else are you gonna do? That’d be the only thing I’d say to him.

“If he’s healthy, he can still compete on the regular tour as long as he wants. But if he’s not, he can ride around in a cart out here, which he’ll do because it’s OK out here … and it’s competition, and it’s another era to break all the records.

“It’d be great to have him back, and he’ll have a ball. It’s all his buddies. It’s all his friends.”

The 15-time major winner has struggled to compete on the regular tour over the last three years.

He returned to golf at the 2022 Masters but his displays at majors since then has seen him withdraw twice and miss the cut a further four times.

Despite enduring a difficult period, Woods remains upbeat about his future.

“I’ve gotten better, even though my results really haven’t shown it,” he said.

Woods remains confident despite his struggles in the MajorsCredit: Getty

“I just need to keep progressing like that and then eventually start playing more competitively and start getting into kind of the competitive flow again.

“I’m going to just keep getting physically better and keep working on it.”