Tiger Woods made his 2024 debut today at Riviera Country Club, where he finished +1 after a bogey at the last when he blamed "a back spasm" for a shank into the trees.
But the former world No.1 and 15-time Major champion, 48, still impressed with five birdies in his first competitive PGA Tour round since withdrawing from the Masters last April before ankle surgery.
Woods, wearing his new Sun Day Red apparel and footwear for the first time after his 27-year spell with Nike Golf ended, thrilled fans with some brilliant shots and putting. His best play included a birdie at the notoriously difficult 233-yard par three fourth and an outrageous flop shot to help save par at the 13th before he hit the 609-yard par 5 17th in two.
But his round finished with a shocking approach on the 18th which he shoved right into the trees yet as he said afterwards: "My back spasmed on me at the last. It didn't move and didn't rotate and presented hosel first. We have some treatment ahead of us."
Woods, who is tied 49th and faces a battle to make the cut, added: "My round was good but a little bit indifferent. I struggled with the speed of the greens and I was stressing out on the short game.I felt like I was making either birdies or bogeys."
Genesis Invitational quick links
- Genesis Invitational Prize Money
- Genesis Invitational Tee Times - Rounds One and Two
- What Is The Riviera Country Club Course Record?
- Who is Tiger Woods' New Caddie?
- Tiger Woods' Riviera Record
- Is There A Cut At The Genesis Invitational?
Updates from...
Hello and welcome to live updates from Riviera, where Tiger Woods makes his first start of the year in the Genesis Invitational.
We'll be here tracking his entire round, with the 15-time Major winner out with Justin Thomas and Gary Woodland at 9.30am local time.
TIGER IS ON THE RANGE PREPARING
Tiger has arrived 🐅⁰⁰He’s set to make his 2024 season debut @TheGenesisInv. pic.twitter.com/pSkRMJKnI9February 15, 2024
TIGER WARMS UP BEFORE FIRST OFFICIAL PGA TOUR START SINCE MASTERS WD IN APRIL
Live on the range with @TigerWoods ahead of his 12:25 p.m. ET tee time @TheGenesisInv 🏌️♂️ https://t.co/57j33JN5mhFebruary 15, 2024
TIGER HAS A NEW CADDIE ON THE BAG THIS WEEK
Veteran caddie Lance Bennett is working for Woods this week at the Genesis Invitational. Woods, 48, is in need of a caddie because his long-time caddie, Joe LaCava, decided to go to work for Patrick Cantlay last May after Woods had ankle surgery that finished his season.
WOODS WEARING HIS NEW BRAND AFTER LEAVING NIKE
Tiger is debuting his new clothing range this week called Sun Day Red after leaving his long-term sponsor Nike. The brand has a Tiger as its logo with 15 stripes, one for each of Woods' 15 Major titles. “Each stripe means something,” he said.
WOODS PREPARES TO TEE OFF
Woods is also debuting a new ball, the 2024 Bridgestone TOUR B X, here at Riviera , which was the first Tour event Woods ever attended and the first he played in, as a 16-year-old amateur in 1992 when he shot 72. But Tiger has never won here and this is the tournament where Woods has racked up more starts without a victory (15) than anywhere else.
WOODS FIRE OPENING TEE SHOT 299 YARDS
Big crowds at the first to see Tiger Woods get his round underway at the 498-yard par 5 playing alongside Justin Thomas and Gary Woodland. Thomas finds the fairway before Tiger's drive which just faded into the rough, a couple of feet off the fairway.
And he's off! Tiger Woods' first round of 2024 is underway. pic.twitter.com/sef8fW0p7IFebruary 15, 2024
TIGER OVER THE BACK OF THE OPENING HOLE IN TWO
Tiger has a 195-yard shot and hits a 5-wood which flies over the back of the right side of green from where he plays a delicate little chip to leave a short putt for an opening birdie.
TIGER OFF TO A FLIER WITH AN OPENING BIRDIE
What a start from Tiger as he gets up and down at the par 5 opener following a deft chip left him a four-foot putt which he rolls in.
Starting the season with a birdie. @TigerWoods is back. pic.twitter.com/LQ1Pmexe0qFebruary 15, 2024
WOODS DROPS A SHOT AT SECOND DESPITE FINE DRIVE
Tiger, fresh from rolling in a birdie four on the first, hit a 307-yard drive at the second down the middle with his golf looking as impressive as his new outfit. But he ended up dropping a shot as his second missed on the right and Woods failed to can his 15-footer for par after his chip ran past the hole.
WOODS' DRIVE AT THE THIRD IS CARVED INTO RIGHT HAND ROUGH
So far in this group it is the comeback man on -2 but it is Gary Woodland rather than Tiger Woods, who is even after a par and a birdie. His prospects at the third do not look great after a 271-yard drive into the right-hand rough before a 152-yard approach which landed in the front bunker.
WOODS SPLASHES OUT AT SECOND AND NEEDS PAR-SAVING PUTT
Woods' second to the third came up short and landed in sand from where Tiger has splashed out at the par four to eight feet. His par attempt slipped by though as he moves to +1 after back to back bogeys. No such trouble for playing partner Woodland though who has birdied all three holes so far! What a comeback for him.
3-under thru 3 🔥@GaryWoodland starts his day with three straight birdies @TheGenesisInv! pic.twitter.com/yg0jCrLR7RFebruary 15, 2024
WOODS HITS EXQUISITE SHOT INTO PAR 3 FOURTH
Just when Tiger was having a wobble after successive bogeys, he reminds us of his enduring class despite all the injuries. He has just hit a 232-yard iron shot which rolls up to 15 feet from the flag from where the 15-time Major champion rolls in his second birdie to get back to even par.
Right in the heart.15-foot bounce-back birdie for @TigerWoods. pic.twitter.com/nFHIWPtw7gFebruary 15, 2024
WOODS, WHO IS EVEN PAR, FINDS FAIRWAY OFF FIFTH TEE
Woods has followed up his bounce back birdie on the fourth with a decent three wood off the tee which went 272-yards on to the short stuff on the fifth. From there Tiger has fired a laser-like iron 152 yards to nine foot from the hole to set up another potential birdie. His attempt slides by but he remains even par.
ANOTHER FINE IRON SHOT BY WOODS INTO SIXTH
While Woods is even par after five holes, leader Patrick Cantlay is -4 after six holes by contrast. However Tiger has been playing some fine iron shots today and he hit another one at the 181-yard par three sixth to 15 feet which he rolls in with a brilliant breaking left to right putt to get to -1.
Beautiful breaker for birdie.@TigerWoods knew it was good. pic.twitter.com/5LuPh2ncZgFebruary 15, 2024
WOODS FINDS SEVENTH FAIRWAY OFF TEE AND THEN HITS GREEN
Tiger has the honour on the seventh tee and fades a superb tee shot 259-yards into the right side of the fairway as he looks to consolidate his birdie at the last which got him to -1. His approach from 150 yards then hits the green after flying past the flag to 43 feet from where his first putt rolls by to six feet but he makes par.
WOODS -1 AFTER EIGHT HOLES AS BIRDIE EFFORT MISSES ON LOW SIDE
Woods, who is using a new 2024 Bridgestone TOUR B X ball, found the left side of this split fairway at the eighth with an effort which went 314 yards leaving him a 125 wedge to the hole which he puts to 17 foot. His birdie effort just missed on the low side but he makes par to stay -1 and tied 17th.
WOODS IMPRESSING OFF THE TEE
Tiger, who is -1, finds his latest fairway off the tee at the ninth with a 304-yard drive as he continues to impress playing a fade with his TaylorMade Qi10 with a 10.5 degree loft. He then puts his 162-yard approach to 27 feet on the green and makes par and is tied 18th.
WOODS DRIVES PAR FOUR 10TH HOLE WHICH IS 301 YARDS
Tiger, who is tied 20th, has hit a superb 309-yard drive to hit the 10th green but the ball has skipped through into a bunker and ended up near the back lip of the sand trap leaving him a very tough - and harsh - second.
TIGER FACES BATTLE TO SAVE PAR ON 10TH
After his drive at the short par 4 10th nestled near the back lip of a bunker over the green, Woods was forced to splash out away from the flag as he failed to keep his ball on the green. It means Woods has an eight-foot putt to save par which slips by as he goes back to even.
WOODS BOUNCES BACK ON 11 WITH A BIRDIE
After dropping a shot to move back to even par, Woods has found the fairway at the 11th with a 332-yard drive at the par five measuring 587 yards. His second of 249 yards left a tricky chip which he has put to 15 foot before converting for a birdie with another fine left to right putt.
This angle 😍 pic.twitter.com/5cXSc1vFygFebruary 15, 2024
WOODS PUTTING BEST FOOT FORWARD
Woods has a new caddie, new ball and new clothes today, including these Sun Day Red shoes, but it hasn't stopped Tiger being -1 for 11 holes on an impressive comeback so far. He faces a challenge on the par four 12th though after missing on the right side off the tee.
WOODS FACES BATTLE TO SAVE PAR ON THE 12TH
After missing the fairway on the right, Woods tried to cut an iron into the green but his 180-yard shot came up short in the bunker infront of the green from where he has splashed out to 10 feet but has to settle for a bogey.
WOODS MUST NOW DIG IN ON TRICKY BACK NINE
The leaders infront of Woods, such as Patrick Cantlay on -7, are making Riviera look easy but Woods, who has dropped two shots in three holes, now has a tough stretch infront of him and will do well to stay at even par.
WOODS FACES ANOTHER CHALLENGE TO SAVE PAR ON 13
Woods was in danger of a third dropped shot in four holes at the 13th after missing the fairway left off the tee and also the green on the same side. However his flop shot from the rough was majestic and left him four feet for par which he makes to stay even.
Flop sauce. A @TigerWoods special. pic.twitter.com/cDxEkBjPsPFebruary 15, 2024
WOODS FINDS THE GREEN AT THE PAR THREE 14TH
Tiger opts not to take the pin on at the 187-yard par three 14th as he plays to the left side of the green leaving him a putt of 44 feet to the pin which he puts to four feet to set up a stress-free par to stay even at tied 53rd.
WOODS OPENS UP DOGLEG 15TH WITH TEE SHOT
Woods has followed up decent back-to-back pars with a tee shot down the left side of the par 4 15th to open up the dogleg but not for the first time today his approach shot has come up short in the sand from where he has splashed out to nine feet and bogeys the hole to slip to +1.
WOODS HAS A LONG BIRDIE CHANCE AT 16
Woods, who is +1 and tied 56th on the leaderboard, has hit the 16th green with a 155-yard tee shot which leaves him a 34-foot putt for a two. His breaking left-to-right effort tails off short and leaves him four foot for par which he makes.
WOODS MUSCLES ANOTHER DRIVE TO HELP TEE UP 5TH BIRDIE
Tiger has a chance on the penultimate hole to get a birdie and return to even par at the par 5 17th which is 609 yards. Woods' 324-yard tee shot finds the fairway to leave the green open to a fairway wood from 260 yards which he puts to 51 foot before putting up to 6.5 feet to then make a birdie.
One of just three players to reach the 609-yard par-5 17th in two today. @TigerWoods moves to even par with a birdie @TheGenesisInv. pic.twitter.com/p1tMDlH4qAFebruary 15, 2024
WOODS FINISHES WITH A SHANK AT THE LAST
Tiger is heading up the last even par with his last drive at the 18th travelling 295 yards on to the fairway. But then, despite a promising comeback, the 15-time Major winner has shanked an iron into the trees attempting a cut into the green. However Woods then executed an incredible 112-yard escape shot to leave himself a chance of par before he signs for a bogey and a +1 total.
No one is immune to the dreaded shank. Not even Tiger Woods. pic.twitter.com/6qJQY1W5yUFebruary 15, 2024
