Tiger Woods stopped early in the rematch

After 10 months of absence, Tiger Woods marked his return to an official tournament on the PGA Tour, at the Genesis Invitational 2024, but withdrew halfway due to a sudden illness.

Woods chose the 2024 Genesis Invitational to also kick off a scheduled monthly return to the PGA Tour. He called this a new chapter in his career, at the age of 48 and weakened, especially in his legs, after a traffic accident in February 2021.

However, Woods encountered problems right at the start of the new phase, when he withdrew from the Genesis Invitational after hitting a fairway shot on hole 7, round 2, on February 16. He immediately received medical care in the clubhouse and then left after two hours of IV.

Woods' personal manager said his client began showing flu-like symptoms the night before, after shooting 72 in his opening round at the par-71 Riviera course near Los Angeles.

Tiger Woods leaves the Riviera Country clubhouse after withdrawing from the Genesis Invitational after being shot in the second round. Photo: AFP

Woods looked tired near noon yesterday as he was about to enter round 2. He complained of dizziness when he entered the course. He moved slowly, leaning against the hole marker on the tee box at hole 5 and looking unwell. At hole 6, par 3, the former world number one went to the restroom several times. At hole 7, he finished his tee shot and called for an electric car.

Speculation that Woods had a physical problem arose immediately after he finished his first round. At that time, "Super Tiger" said he bogeyed the par-4 18th hole when he suddenly stiffened his back while swinging his club for his second shot, causing the ball to stray into the wilds and requiring three more shots to finish.

The 2024 Genesis Invitational marks Woods' first official PGA Tour event in nearly a year, the last time he played in a major Masters in April 2023. He withdrew from the third round due to health reasons and then underwent surgery on his right ankle.

From 2024, the top men's golf tournament in the US will return to a calendar year, with a schedule that runs from January to mid-August. The latest tournament incident also leaves Woods' schedule open, which is expected to include the Genesis Invitational, four majors and two regular tournaments. After these seven tournaments, his schedule will depend on his position in the FedEx Cup standings.

The Genesis Invitational was a special milestone in Woods' career. The 1992 tournament, called the Los Angeles Open, marked his debut on the PGA Tour as an amateur at the age of 16. Over the years, he has hosted the event and raised funds for his own charity.

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