Tiger Woods withdrew from the Genesis Invitational due to illness seven holes into his second round on Friday in Pacific Palisades, Calif.
Woods was making his return to competitive golf this week as the tournament host at Riviera Country Club. He hadn’t played an official PGA Tour event since the Masters 10 months ago, when he withdrew before undergoing ankle surgery.
Woods, 48, had opened the tournament Thursday with a 1-over 72 and admitted to reporters he was dealing with back spasms along with soreness in his surgically repaired leg.
Woods opened Friday’s round with a birdie and made consecutive bogeys at Nos. 4-5. After saving par at the par-3 sixth and hitting his drive at the par-4 seventh, the Golf Channel broadcast showed a rules official driving Woods off the course on a cart.
PGA Tour rules official Mark Dusbabek later told the Golf Channel broadcast that Woods was not feeling well and dropping out due to illness, and that they were “not being told right now” it was due to his back.
–Field Level Media