Sound the alarms! Tiger Woods is back on the PGA Tour!
While the entire sport was focusing on the action at TPC Sawgrass and the WM Phoenix Open, Woods dropped an 11-word tweet that had golf fans sprinting to confirm it was real:
“I’m ready to play an ACTUAL PGA Tour event next week”.
82-time PGA TOUR winner Tiger Woods is committed to next week’s Genesis Invitational.
Thursday’s first round will be Woods’ first round in a non-major on the PGA TOUR since the final round of the 2020 ZOZO Championship on October 25, 2020 (844 days ago). https://t.co/sHkdLAVG4e
— PGA TOUR Communications (@PGATOURComms) February 10, 2023
Woods has been dealing with plantar fasciitis in his right foot and working to return to the course since last summer. Considering the Genesis Invitational is organized by Woods’ organization, it makes complete sense he’d try to time his return for the Riviera Country Club event.
Woods has played in few competitive tournaments since his 2021 car accident. He finished 47th at the 2022 Masters, was forced to withdraw from the PGA Championship a few months later and missed the cut at the Open Championship in July.
Which means Woods likely won’t be expected to contend at his own tournament next week. Especially after opening +10000 to win at DraftKings Sportsbook. The bar will be set much lower for his return. As long as he can make it through all four rounds (making the cut) and avoid experiencing any pain or ill effects, it’ll be fair to consider his outing a success.
Tiger was +6500 at The Open (via @FDSportsbook) the last time he played a full-field event.
What odds would you give him next week for his return to Riviera? https://t.co/MMtM2IcfHO
— Golfbet (@GolfBet) February 10, 2023
Yet it would be surprising if Woods didn’t receive strong support from a betting public hungry to cash in on his next top 10 finish, let alone an outright win.
Just how many tournaments will see Woods compete in this season remains in flux. For now, the Tour and its fans will be thrilled to have him back for the first time in 844 days.
