Tiger Woods’ 2024 Genesis Invitational is officially over as he had to withdraw from the second round of competition while on the seventh hole at Riviera Country Club on Friday. Woods’ camp confirmed that his early departure was due to illness, not his physical state. Despite dealing with back spasms during the first round on Thursday, Woods was visibly limping and ultimately had to concede on the second round due to flu-like symptoms.
Rob McNamara, Tiger’s longtime business partner and vice president of TGR Ventures, stated, “He started feeling some flu-like symptoms last night. [Tiger] woke up this morning, they were worse than the night previous. He had a little bit of a fever and that, and was better during the warm-up, but then when he got out there and was walking and playing, he started feeling dizzy. Ultimately, the doctors are saying he’s got some — potentially some type of flu and that he was dehydrated. He’s been treated with an IV bag and he’s doing much, much better and he’ll be released on his own here soon.”
Woods confirmed his influenza diagnosis on Saturday, and his departure was a disappointment as he had been battling to make the cut after an opening round of 1-over 72. Despite starting strong with a birdie, Woods dropped shots on the par-3 4th and the par-4 5th, falling to 2 over for the tournament. This put him in a precarious position of not making the weekend, sitting outside the top 50 and more than 10 strokes behind leader Patrick Cantlay.
The Genesis Invitational was Woods’ first start on the PGA Tour since the 2023 Masters, where he was forced to withdraw due to an ankle injury. Woods has now withdrawn from three of his last six tournaments since the 2022 Masters and has only completed 72 holes on the PGA Tour twice, including at Riviera last season.
The question now is where Tiger goes from here. The Arnold Palmer Invitational or The Players Championship, both in March, seem like logical return tournaments for Woods as he gears up for the Masters. However, it is evident that Woods needs more time in the arena. While he showed glimpses of his vintage form in his comeback attempts, he lacks the consistency to string together four rounds and keep up with his peers. His first round at the Genesis Invitational was emblematic of this, as he carded five birdies, six bogeys, and seven pars. Ultimately, his battle for consistency is not just against his game, but against his body as well.
Physically, Tiger is limited in terms of practice time and tournament action, and his sharpness, or lack thereof, ultimately surfaces. If he chooses to forgo competition during the Florida Swing, there is a possibility that the 15-time major champion could arrive at Augusta National in April with little or no game reps under his belt for the third straight year.
In conclusion, Tiger Woods’ early departure from the Genesis Invitational due to illness has raised questions about his ability to return to top form. It remains to be seen how he will navigate his way back to the competitive arena and if he can overcome the physical challenges that have plagued him in recent years.
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