There’s something about golf that just won’t let players walk away quietly. Maybe it’s the peaceful courses, the competitive itch, or just the fact that retirement never really feels like retirement in golf.
Some of these golfers said goodbye and came right back. Others took “semi-retired” to a whole new level. Either way, these 20 players couldn’t quite quit the game, no matter how hard they tried.
20. Fred Couples
Freddie’s back has told him to retire about a hundred times, but his swing just refuses to age. He’s become a fixture on the Champions Tour and still pops up at Augusta like it’s a family reunion.
19. David Duval
Once a world No. 1, Duval seemed done after injuries and a sharp decline. But every few years, he’d pop back up in a tournament field like he missed the chaos.
18. Vijay Singh
![Dec 21, 2024; Orlando, Florida, [USA]; Vijay Singh putts on the 18th green during the PNC Championship at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club.](https://gamerkoala.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Vijay-Singh-14-1024x576.jpg)
Vijay could’ve called it a career and coasted into Hall of Fame status. Instead, he’s still grinding it out well into his 50s like someone forgot to tell him it was over.
17. Jesper Parnevik
Parnevik’s outfits were never the only thing that stood out—his return attempts were just as bold. Even after major injuries, he kept finding ways to tee it up again.
16. John Daly
Retirement doesn’t exist in John Daly’s vocabulary. He just keeps rolling, diet soda in hand, occasionally making cuts and always making headlines.
15. Colin Montgomerie
Monty flirted with walking away, but couldn’t resist the senior circuit spotlight. Now he’s out there winning again, just in a different age bracket.
14. Ian Woosnam
Woosnam faded from the spotlight, then reappeared on the Champions Tour like he’d never left. He’s the type who seems like he’ll play until someone physically takes his clubs away.
13. Nick Price
Price had all the credentials to ride off into the sunset. Instead, he popped back up in team events and on the Champions Tour, still competing like it was the ’90s.
12. Kenny Perry
Perry was supposedly done… several times. But whether it was for the Ryder Cup or just one more shot at a title, he always seemed to come back.
11. Tom Watson
Tom Watson gave us one of the greatest almost-comebacks ever at age 59 in The Open. Retirement kept calling, but Watson kept ignoring it for just one more magical run.
10. Steve Stricker
Stricker was practically retired and then decided to win everything on the senior tour. He even captained a Ryder Cup team and still found time to win tournaments.
9. Lee Trevino
Trevino loved the game too much to step away. Even long after his prime, he found ways to compete and entertain with that trademark grin.
8. Greg Norman
The Shark never truly left golf—he just kept finding new ways to dive back in. Whether it was through design, playing, or LIV Golf drama, he never fully let go.
7. Corey Pavin
Pavin faded from PGA Tour leaderboards but lingered around the game longer than anyone expected. He kept chasing that feeling, even when his best days were clearly behind him.
6. José María Olazábal
Injuries and age couldn’t stop Olazábal from trying again and again. He’d vanish for a while, then return out of nowhere like a ghost haunting the leaderboard.
5. Tom Kite
Kite transitioned into the senior circuit seamlessly, but even after that, he was slow to put the clubs away. The man just loved to compete too much to stop.
4. Bernhard Langer
Langer might be allergic to retirement. He’s been dominating the Champions Tour for what feels like 30 years, with no sign of slowing down.
3. Arnold Palmer
Even after his competitive days were over, Arnie never really left the scene. He kept playing in pro-ams and ceremonial events because the game was in his blood.
Read More: 20 Golfers Who Always Found a Way to Win
2. Phil Mickelson
Phil seemed like he might ride off into the sunset… until he reinvented himself with a PGA Championship win at 50 and a leap to LIV Golf. If there’s a golf course and a camera, he’s probably showing up.
Read More: 16 Golfers Who Couldn’t Walk Away from the Game
1. Jack Nicklaus
The Golden Bear announced retirements more than once, but he always circled back for another ceremonial round or major moment. Even now, he’s somehow still part of every Masters week like he never left.
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