PACIFIC PALISADES, Calif. — A reporter did not need to point out probably the most feared five-letter phrase in golf when asking Tiger Woods about his next-to-last swing in Thursday’s opening spherical of the Genesis Invitational.
The 15-time main champion mentioned it for him.
“Oh, positively, I shanked it,” Woods mentioned.
Woods, making his 2024 season debut and his first begin in an official PGA Tour occasion for the reason that Masters in April, mentioned he was struggling again spasms throughout the previous few holes at Riviera Nation Membership.
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When Woods tried to hit an 8-iron from the appropriate aspect of the 18th fairway, his again locked up. His ball rocketed lifeless proper right into a eucalyptus tree and got here to a relaxation behind 4 timber.
“Effectively, my again was spasming the final couple holes and it was locking up,” Woods mentioned. “I got here down and it did not transfer, and I offered [the] hosel first and shanked it.”
By some means, Woods was capable of hit his third shot onto the inexperienced. He two-putted for bogey. It was a disappointing end to his spherical, leaving him at 1-over 72. He was tied for forty ninth, eight pictures behind first spherical chief Patrick Cantlay.
Woods has work to do on Friday if he’ll play on the weekend. Within the PGA Tour’s third signature occasion of the season, the highest 50 scores and ties will make the 36-hole reduce, as will any participant inside 10 strokes of the chief.
Woods carded 5 birdies and 6 bogeys. He posted a 1-under 34 on the entrance, however then had bogeys on two of the primary three holes on the again. He picked up one other bogey on the par-4 fifteenth earlier than the mishit on the ultimate gap. He described his opening spherical as “loads of good and loads of detached.”
“It was one or the opposite,” Woods mentioned. “I do not know what number of pars I had, wasn’t many. I used to be both making birdies or bogeys and simply by no means actually received something constant going immediately.”
Thursday’s spherical was Woods’ first aggressive one since he completed 18th in a 20-man area within the Hero World Problem, an unofficial occasion within the Bahamas in December.
Not surprisingly, most of his recreation appeared rusty. He hit eight out of 14 fairways and 10 of 18 greens. He averaged 290.7 yards off the tee. He wanted 30 putts and misplaced almost two strokes to the sphere general.
“I struggled with the velocity of the greens,” Woods mentioned. “I could not imagine how briskly they have been immediately regardless that I made a pair. I ran a bunch by the outlet immediately, it was very hectic. However the golf course is in such good form. Contemplating the quantity of rain they’ve gotten, to get the golf course this quick is fairly spectacular.”
Woods, 48, had fusion surgical procedure on April 19 to handle post-traumatic arthritis he suffered in a automotive wreck not removed from Riviera Nation Membership in February 2021. The process sidelined him for almost eight months. Woods mentioned he has been struggling again spasms at dwelling, however this was the primary in a aggressive spherical shortly. After Thursday’s spherical, Woods mentioned his proper foot felt superb, however his leg was sore.
“Issues are a bit bit sore, however that is to be anticipated,” Woods mentioned. “That is nothing that we weren’t ready for, and we have got some work to do tonight and tomorrow.”
As a result of Woods is taking part in such little aggressive golf, he is not used to adjusting his swing and placing stroke throughout rounds. He competed in solely 5 official occasions the earlier two seasons mixed, taking part in 72 holes in solely two of them. He made the reduce on the quantity and tied for forty fifth on the Genesis Invitational final 12 months.
“I will be rusty, and I’ve to do a greater job at dwelling prepping,” Woods mentioned. “We have to do a greater job with lifting and treating and continuation of rehab protocols, all these issues. I simply have not achieved it shortly.”
Woods will tee off at 2:54 p.m. ET Friday at Riviera.
