Tiger Woods withdrew with illness, later revealed to be influenza, when playing the seventh hole of his second round at the Genesis Invitational; Woods was making his first start at an official PGA Tour event since The Masters in April; Watch live throughout the week on Sky Sports Golf
Saturday 17 February 2024 20:24, UK
Tiger Woods' PGA Tour comeback ended in another withdrawal after the 15-time major champion pulled out mid-round at the Genesis Invitational.
He withdrew to illness that he later revealed to be influenza.
"I would like to confirm that I had to withdraw from the Genesis Invitational due to illness, which we now know is influenza," Woods stated on social media.
"I am resting and feeling better. Good luck to the players this weekend. I'm disappointed to not be there and want to thank Genesis USA and all the fans for the support."
The tournament host was making his first appearance of 2024 and just his seventh at an official PGA Tour event since The Masters in November 2020, with Woods playing a limited schedule due to injuries in recent seasons.
Woods mixed five birdies during six bogeys during an eventful opening-round 72 at Riviera Country Club, keeping him within eight strokes of early leader Patrick Cantlay, where he made a shank on the fairway during his final hole and struggled with back spasms over his closing holes.
The 48-year-old birdied the opening round of his second round as he looked to battle through to the weekend but slipped below the cut mark with back-to-back bogeys from the fourth hole, then made a two-putt par at the sixth hole and hit his tee shot onto the seventh fairway before calling an early end to his round.
The former world No 1 had his head in his hands as he was taken from the course on a buggy.
Rob McNamara, Woods' long-time business partner and vice president of TGR Ventures, revealed that the 15-time major champion required an IV after getting dizzy and feeling unwell prior to him calling time on his round.
"So he started feeling some flu-like symptoms last night," McNamara told reporters. "Woke up this morning, they were worse than the night previous. He had a little bit of a fever and that 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.
"Not physical at all, his back's fine. It was all medical illness, dehydration. Now the symptoms are reversing themselves now that he's had an IV."
Woods did not speak to the media after his withdrawal and was seen walking out of the clubhouse a couple of hours later, where he was driven away from the course before the second round had been completed.
Dame Laura Davis on Sky Sports:
"Tiger obviously knew [he was ill], but didn't let on because great players like Tiger don't want excuses. The fact he didn't feel well overwhelmed him in the end, though he was playing quite nicely, hitting lots of fairways. The good thing is it's not the back, it's not the leg.
"When you're struggling physically anyway, that's just too much, even for someone like him. He doesn't want to do long-term damage in not feeling well and making a mess of things out there because of that. Even as good as he is, you don't want to put big numbers up.
"I actually think, if he had have been fit, he'd have probably made the cut; the cut was one over at the time and he was two over when he had to withdraw.
"All in all, I'd say it's quite a good result. Having seen him in that buggy, I thought the worst.
"Without a doubt he will win this year - if he stays fit.
"The way we saw him driving it on Thursday, he was scrappy, he dropped five shots - very un-Tiger-like - and he'd already dropped a couple [on Friday before withdrawing].
"If he can drive it like that all the time, we know his irons will come around. They have been a little bit loose. Putting's been great; he's still holing those very important five, 10-footers. A lot of them were for pars yesterday and he made them.
"I think, if he is going to be fit - and it looked like the signs for that are good with his body - then I think we've got lots to look forward to. Hopefully, he gets over this flu pretty quickly and we'll see him soon at the Players or Bay Hill."
Woods had not played an official event since the Masters last April, where he withdrew during his third round due to injury, although was able to complete 72 holes in December when he finished 18th in a 20-man field at the Hero World Challenge.
His latest mid-tournament withdrawal is his third in his last six official PGA Tour starts, although Woods said last year he was targeting 'a tournament a month' in 2024.
The world No 893 is yet to announce his next start but is expected to play once on the Florida Swing ahead of the major season, likely the Arnold Palmer Invitational or The Players, with Woods then expected to be back in action at The Masters from April 11-14 as he chases a sixth Green Jacket.
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