Tiger Woods’ victory at the Open at Royal Liverpool in 2006 was the perfect tribute to his father, Earl, two months after his death, but will he ever return?

Tiger Woods is no stranger to being in the spotlight at The Open Championship, but the Royal Liverpool stage saw an emotional side that the winner of 15 Grand Slams in 2006 doesn’t often display.

As the final Major of the year returns to Hoylake this year, Woods’ emotional victory to collect his third Claret Jug remains one of the most memorable moments in tournament history.

It was the first time a player had competed back-to-back in a Major since Tom Watson’s victories in 1982 and 1983.

In retrospect, it has even greater significance, as it is his third and final Open Championship victory, following victories in 2000 and 2005.

But the win at Hoylake meant much more than just big wins. It was a tribute to his father Earl.

The golf legend broke down in tears in emotional scenes on the 18th green at Hoylake

The triumph marked his first major victory since the death of his father, Earl, two months earlier.

Earl had died of prostate cancer just two months before the tournament and the win marked Woods’ first major win since losing his father.

Woods was close to his father, a man who guided his son from golf prodigy to global superstar who transformed the sport.

Earl’s legacy to his son—a methodical, lucid, and precise game—could be seen throughout Woods’ robotic mastery in the early 2000s, but there was no greater testimonial than the performance he delivered on the Hoylake stage.

‘[Dad] I was always on my case about thinking my way around the golf course and not letting emotions get the best of you, because it’s so easy to do in this sport,’ Woods said after his win.

‘And just use your mind to chart your way around the golf course and if you had to deviate from the game plan, make sure it’s the right call. [Dad] he was very adamant about playing like this throughout my entire playing career.

And that is exactly what Woods did at Royal Liverpool. He played impeccable golf that would have made Earl proud.

It even impressed Nick Faldo, who described Woods’ ball-striking as “sheer perfection” and said: “This has been a masterclass in tactical golf. It really has been fantastic to watch.

Tackling the firm fairways of Hoylake and the often stormy breezes off the River Dee, Woods only hit the driver once during the week and hasn’t taken it out of the bag in the last three days.

Earl had died of prostate cancer in May 2006, just two months before the tournament.

He guided his son from golf prodigy to global superstar (pictured in 1989)

Chris DiMarco, who was also grieving from the recent loss of his mother, filed a challenge for the second year in a row.

DiMarco had battled Woods at the Masters in 2005, taking the big one to a tiebreaker before Woods finally triumphed.

A year later at The Open, DiMarco cut Woods’ lead to one, but that seemed to make Woods play better as he birdied 14, 15, 16.

But no one else on the field even put up a fight.

Woods was even more reserved in his reactions throughout the final round. He made a sole eagle in the fifth and no one would have noticed when he solemnly raised his putter into the air.

He made up for the lack of reaction with a swing of the club after each beautifully struck shot.

But the occasion finally came to a head when the excitement boiled over onto the 18th green.

Woods sank his championship-winning putt and tears rolled down his cheeks.

Woods sank his championship-winning putt, tears streaming down his cheeks.

The 15-time Grand Slam winner is consoled by his caddy Steve Williams after the win.

A tearful Woods shares a hug with his then-wife Elin Nordegren after their win

He shared an emotional hug with his caddy Steve Williams, who later revealed that as they walked up the 18th fairway, he turned to his player and said, “This one’s for dad.”

“I’m the type to bottle things up a bit and move on, try to deal with things my way,” Woods said after the win.

“But in that moment it just gushed out and all the things my father has meant to me and the game of golf, and I wish I could have seen it one more time.”

Woods has given the world of golf many heartbreaking moments since then, most notably his comeback win at the 2019 Masters and his return to Augusta three years later, 14 months after his horrific 2021 car accident.

Just last year he tugged at the heartstrings of St Andrews patrons when he took a tearful last walk down the 18th at the Old Course.

But he won’t be replicating another at Royal Liverpool this week and whether we’ll ever see another of him at The Open is in serious doubt.

After the 150th Open last July, Woods himself admitted that it might have been his last at the Casa del Golf.

“The warmth and the standing ovation at 18 got to me,” Woods said. ‘It’s very emotional for me. I’ve been coming here since 1995, and I don’t know when, I think the next one will come in what, 2030? – and I don’t know if I’ll be physically able to play by then.

He shared an emotional hug with Williams, who had told him: ‘This one’s for dad’

‘So, I felt like this might have been my last British Open here at St Andrews. And the fans, the ovation and the heat, it was an incredible feeling. They understand what golf is all about and what it takes to be an open champion.

‘And I’ve been lucky and lucky to have won this twice here (in 2000 and 2005). And I felt very emotional, simply because I don’t know what my health will be like. And I feel like I’ll be able to play future British Opens, but I don’t know if I’ll be able to play enough that when I come back here, will I still be playing?

And, although Woods will not be at Hoylake this year, after undergoing ankle surgery in April following his Masters withdrawal, he managed to look back on the ‘gratifying’ win.

Speaking in a video message after being recognized for “outstanding services to golf” by the Golf Writers Association Tuesday night, Woods recalled the excitement of landing his third Claret Jug two months after his father’s passing.

Last year, he touched the hearts of St. Andrews customers while holding back tears.

Woods took what is likely to be his last walk over the famous Swilcan Bridge on the 18th

Woods said: “I just want to say that all my years of playing the Open Championship, starting at St Andrews in 1995, have been some of the best moments and fondest memories I’ve had not just in my golf career, but in my entire life.

“I’ll go over a few of them, starting with my victory at St Andrews in the 200, and winning again at the home of golf in 2005, and where everyone is playing this week, at Hoylake.

‘That week in 2006 was very emotional. It was the first championship that I won without my dad being there. It was a tough, tough week, but also probably the most rewarding week I’ve had there.’

While Woods won’t be on the hallowed stage of The Open at Hoylake, the laser-focused legend will forever be remembered for providing the course and tournament with one of his most memorable moments to date.