Tiger Woods' Return to PGA Tour Marred by Back Spasms and a Rare Shank
In his much-anticipated return to the PGA Tour, Tiger Woods' hopes of breaking par in his first official event in 10 months were dashed by a sudden back spasm and an unexpected shank. The incident occurred during the Genesis Invitational at Riviera, where Woods' 8-iron shot from the 18th fairway veered off dramatically into the eucalyptus trees.
Speaking candidly about the mishap, Woods admitted, 'Oh, definitely I shanked it. My back was spasming the last couple of holes and it was locking up. I came down and it didn't move, and I presented hosel first and shanked it.' Even for a seasoned player like Woods, who has battled numerous injuries and undergone multiple surgeries, the shank came as a shock. He couldn't recall the last time he hit such an errant shot, aside from creative flop shots around the green.
However, Woods swiftly put the disappointment behind him. Despite being stuck behind the eucalyptus trees, he managed to execute a low-punch shot with the same club he had just shanked, an 8-iron. The ball came out beautifully and ended up 15 feet away from the hole. Reflecting on the recovery shot, Woods remarked, 'I had a small window there and tried to hit a punch-hook 8-iron after I just shanked an 8-iron. I said, 'All right, the next shot is supposed to be the harder shot.' And yes, it was because I'm having to hit a little punch hook through a little gap there. And I pulled it off, which is good.'
Despite this inspiring recovery, Woods missed the subsequent putt and had to settle for a 72, leaving him eight shots behind the current leader, Patrick Cantlay. To secure a place in the weekend rounds, Woods acknowledges the need to perform better on Friday. As the tournament host, he was instrumental in implementing a 36-hole cut, ensuring the top 50 players and ties, along with anyone within 10 shots of the lead, would advance.
Thursday's round saw Woods secure five birdies on a pristine day at Riviera. However, the round also featured numerous mistakes, which he attributed to not having competed against a large field since the Masters. The speed of the greens turned out to be trickier than expected, given the recent heavy rainfall in Southern California, leading to occasional misjudgment.
Describing his performance, Woods said, 'A lot of good and a lot of indifferent. It was one or the other. I don't know how many pars I had — wasn't many (seven). I was either making birdies or bogeys and just never really got anything consistent going today.' Although he birdied three of the par 5s and sank 15-foot putts on the front nine's par 3s, there were also moments of frustration, such as an unfortunate break on the 10th hole, where his drive rolled over the green and settled inches away from the back lip, resulting in a bogey.
Woods, who underwent ankle fusion surgery after the Masters, made two appearances at the end of last year—his Hero World Challenge (finishing 18th out of 20) and the 36-hole PNC Championship alongside his son, Charlie. Feeling optimistic about his progress, he had hoped to participate in one tournament per month. However, the lack of competitive play contributed to a sense of rustiness.
Making adjustments on the fly during rounds and regaining a feel for the game have become the new challenges for Woods. He admitted, 'I haven't done that in a while. As I said when we were playing Hero, I was getting better each and every day, but then again, I haven't played in a while again. That's kind of the frustrating part of it.'
Despite the disappointing finish to his round, Woods still commanded the largest gallery, with spectators eagerly watching his every move. From his opening tee shot to his birdie on the par 5 first hole, the crowd remained captivated. However, it was the shank and his mention of back spasms that caught everyone's attention. Woods revealed that he has experienced spasms at home but not during competition and accepted them as a part of the challenges he faces with his body.
As the tournament continues, the golfing world awaits Woods' performance on Friday. He will need to rally and bring his A-game to secure a spot for the weekend and showcase the new Sun Day Red apparel he had hoped to wear during the tournament, rather than just at the trophy ceremony. Regardless of the outcome, Woods' return to competitive golf resonates strongly with fans and leaves them eagerly anticipating his future endeavors on the course.
