Tiger Woods’s return to action on the PGA Tour was a short one this week at the Genesis Invitational. Woods withdrew from the tournament during the second round on Friday in Pacific Palisades, California, citing flu-like symptoms, according to a PGA Tour rules official.
Woods, 48, played six holes before calling it a day and taking a cart ride back to the clubhouse. After hitting his tee shot at the seventh hole, television cameras showed him with head in his hands as a Tour rules official drove him away after leaving Gary Woodland and Justin Thomas, his playing competitors for the first two rounds. He had made a birdie and two bogeys and just holed a putt at the sixth green to save par but was in danger of missing the 36-hole cut at 2-over for the tournament.
Woodland sensed something wasn’t right with Woods, who was laboring and showing discomfort, on Friday in a way that he didn’t the day before.
“He was quieter. Obviously it’s cut day, we’re all trying to play well, especially the whole group’s trying to focus and pick ourselves up and play well,” Woodland said. “I feel bad for him, he wasn’t right. He definitely was trying to fight through it and I hope he’s all right.”
Rob McNamara, executive vice president of TGR Ventures, said in a statement that Woods started feeling flu-like symptoms Thursday night and woke up in the morning and felt worse. “He had a little bit of a fever and was better during the warm-up, but then when he got out there and was walking and playing, he started feeling dizzy,” McNamara said. “Ultimately the doctors are saying he’s got potentially some type of flu and that he was dehydrated. He’s being treated with an IV bag and he’s doing much, much better and he’ll be released on his own here soon.”
Woods was feeling bad enough that an ambulance and fire truck were called to the golf club and waited outside the clubhouse as a precaution but Woods eventually walked out of the clubhouse of his own power and entered the back seat of a waiting vehicle that whisked him away. This week’s tournament, where he also serves as the tournament host, marked the first official Tour start for Woods since he withdrew after making the cut at the Masters last April. He underwent surgery to fuse his right ankle later that month and missed the remaining majors. He played in the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas in December, finishing 18th in the 20-man field, and the PNC Championship, a two-man team event with son Charlie, two weeks later.
Tiger Woods is a WD during the second round of The Genesis Invitational due to illness.
— PGA TOUR Communications (@PGATOURComms) February 16, 2024
MORE: Reactions to Tiger Woods withdrawing from Genesis
Woods opened with a 1-over 72 on Thursday. The 15-time major champion cited back spasms as the reason for shanking his second shot at 18 on Thursday and noted that he had been dealing with them at home at times. He said they were due to having his back fused.
Asked if the withdrawal had anything to do with Woods’ previous injuries to his ankle or back, McNamara said, “Not physical at all. His back is fine. It was all medical illness, dehydration, which is now, the symptoms are reversing themselves now that he’s had an IV.”
Woods’s return drew enormous crowds from fans who wanted to see the 82-time Tour winner make his latest comeback attempt after surgery. Three years ago, Woods was involved in a single-car crash south of Los Angeles one day after the Genesis Invitational that severely injured his lower right leg, ankle and foot.
“Do I feel it physically? Yeah, I do. Do I feel it physically? Absolutely, each and every day. Unfortunately that’s part of having surgeries and rehab,” Woods said on Tuesday. “But I’m excited about this week and I’m excited about competing and playing.”
Speaking before the tournament commenced, Max Homa, the 2021 Genesis Invitational champion, summed up why the players were pleased to have Woods competing again.
“Every event’s better when Tiger is here,” he said. “It’s pretty amazing what he brings to an event with his presence on the golf course. Obviously it’s great that he’s had his name attached to this, but you want to see him play, all the fans want to see him play.”
This marked the 13th time in his career that Woods has withdrawn from a Tour event, and the third withdrawal in his six starts since the car accident. He made his Tour debut at Riviera as a 16-year-old amateur in 1992.
