There are so many storylines to Tiger Woods’ return to Riviera Country Club this week for the Genesis Invitational that have little to do with the outcome, but his mindset was focused as if on a default setting from the start of his legendary career.
“A nice W would be nice, right?” Woods said Wednesday in Pacific Palisades, Calif. “I haven’t ever won this event. I played in this event since ’92 and the years I’ve played I still have never won this event. Hopefully, I can figure something out and get myself in there in contention and maybe get a W at the end of the week.”
Woods, 48, hasn’t been a weekly or monthly competitor on the PGA Tour since a series of debilitating injuries and recoveries, including from a serious car accident in February 2021 when he was in the Los Angeles area for the Genesis Invitational. He hosts the event, which is run by his foundation.
He was asked at a news conference Wednesday about the accident, and he said it “doesn’t have that much bearing of the history of this event.”
“Do I feel it physically? Absolutely, each and every day,” said Woods, who had fusion surgery to treat post-traumatic arthritis and was away from competition for nearly eight months. “Unfortunately, that’s part of having surgeries and rehab.”
There have been golf-related injuries in recent years that led to bones being fused in his back and an ankle. Woods said other parts of his body have been impacted by the treatments that lessened or erased pain in those areas.
“My ankle doesn’t hurt anymore because no bones are rubbing anymore,” Woods said. “But then again, it’s different. Other parts of my body have to take the brunt of it. Just like my back is fused so other parts of my body have taken the brunt of that. I have two different body parts that are now fused. Yeah, other parts of the body have to adapt.”
Woods is playing in his first official PGA Tour event since withdrawing from the 2023 Masters last April. Cold and wet conditions in the third round at Augusta National were too much to battle with an injured right ankle and foot.
Since then, he played in December in two unofficial events — the Hero World Challenge and then the PNC Championship, a team event, with his son, Charlie.
A 15-time major champion, Woods had said he aims to play one tournament a month in 2024 as he returns from plantar fasciitis and ankle surgery last spring. He has an exemption to the Genesis Invitational as tournament host, and it is also the third signature event on the 2024 PGA Tour schedule.
Woods will be employing a new caddie, Lance Bennett. He also will be wearing a new brand after ending his 27-year partnership with Nike. Woods will be in his “Sun Day Red” apparel by TaylorMade.
Woods has not won this event in 15 attempts, and he doesn’t know why. The event has special meaning, as he recalled attending tournaments at Riviera since he was 7 or 8 years old, and it was the setting for his first PGA Tour event.
“It is frustrating in the sense that this is a golf course that has been to me very comfortable visually,” Woods said. “As I said, it’s a fader’s delight from the tee shots and I have, as I said, been a pretty good iron player, but for some reason I just haven’t put it together at this event other than one time with a chance. For some reason it just hasn’t happened. Hopefully, it will be this week.”
“As far as the love, I still love competing, I love playing, I love being a part of the game of golf. This is the game of a lifetime and I don’t ever want to stop playing.”
–Field Level Media