Tiger Woods made his 2024 PGA Tour season debut at the tournament he hosts, the Genesis Invitational. Predictably, he was a bit rusty at the Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles.
Woods shot a 1-over 72 in an overall encouraging opening round that featured five birdies and six bogeys. He was grouped with his good friends Justin Thomas and Gary Woodland.
“It was very stressful, but the golf course is in such perfect shape,” Woods said. “I don't know how many pars I had, wasn't many. I was either making birdies or bogeys and just never really got anything consistent going today.”
Tiger's last completed PGA Tour event was the 2023 Genesis (he finished 1-under, T45). The 48-year-old had season-ending ankle surgery in April after withdrawing from The Masters. He competed in the Hero World Challenge and PNC Championship last fall.
On Wednesday, Woods said his ankle was pain-free, though he's redefined his swing around his “hands” and “feel” to negate the unpredictability of his body. Tiger's opening round at Riviera culminated in back spasms on an eventful 18th hole (more on that later) — a common occurrence thanks to his fused spine.
“Foot's good. Leg's a little bit sore. Things are a little bit sore. But that's to be expected. Nothing we weren't prepared for. Got some work to do to help us tonight and tomorrow.”
(I was on the grounds watching Woods up close, and I can attest that his gait was much sturdier than last year.)
Woods is eight strokes back of leader Patrick Cantlay (-7). The third Signature Event on the PGA Tour calendar will see 50 of the 70 entries make the cut, along with anybody else within 10 strokes of the lead when Round 2 wraps. Tiger — who has never won in 15 starts at Riviera — said his goal this week is to get “a nice W.” (Unsurprisingly, his mere presence in the field set off a betting frenzy.)
“I just think it's sharpness,” Woods said post-round about the biggest hindrance to his game. “Making the adjustments on the fly, and the feel for a round and how to make those adjustments. I haven't done it in a while. When we were playing Hero I was getting better each and every day, but then again I haven't played in a while again. So that's kind of the frustrating part of it.”
Thursday marked the first professional round of golf Tiger has ever played in which he wasn't wearing the Nike swoosh. Earlier this week, he announced the launch of his footwear and apparel line, Sun Day Red. He was also working with a new caddie, Lance Bennett.
“Shoes felt good. Stable, solid. Very comfortable to walk in.”
Here are the best and worst moments of Tiger's opening round at Riviera.
BEST: Fast start
Riviera likes to offer a boost out of the gate via an easy Par 4. Woods took advantage, placing his chip within four feet of the cup. He sank the putt.
WORST: Bogeys on No. 2, No. 3
No. 2, by contrast, is meant to immediately humble you. Woods slid his chip about 15 feet past the hole, then two-putted.
Saving par is a key to success at Riviera. On No. 3, Woods rebounded from an awry tee shot into the thickest part of Kikuyu and an approach into the bunker by nearly holing out his chip. He missed the six-footer for par. Alas.
Tiger said he was “definitely nervous” as the golf got underway.
“I care about how I play. Certainly was feeling the nerves early on. I got off to a good start birdieing the first and then giving it right back up on the next two holes, then made a couple more birdies.”
BEST: Bounce-back on No. 4
On the 236-yar Par 3, Woods stuck his tee shot within 15 feet of the hole. Cash.
BEST: Strolls it in on No. 6
The 15-time major champion — he's also tied with Sam Snead for most PGA Tour wins ever (82) — missed a makeable nine-footer on No. 5, then found success, again, on a Par 3. He placed his tee shot within 14 feet, then produced a vintage highlight.
“Tiger I thought played beautifully today,” said Woodland.
WORST: Bogey on No. 10
Tiger hit the turn at 1-under after parring No. 7, No. 8, and No. 9, thanks to solid drives, eliciting a club twirl. Despite an off-kilter short game, Woods was pleased; he was saving pars and mostly hitting fairways. Plus, he was having fun with JT and Woodland.
“We were chatty all day, “said Tiger. “It was great to be out there with those two. We text and call each other all the time. So the fact that we were able to compete and play like that out there … it was a lot of fun.”
“T-Dub and I, we're good friends,” said Woodland. “And obviously JT and I are really close. So, the energy was great.”
On the tricky No. 10, Woods' drive landed in the back-side bunker, forcing him to try and chip onto a slopey patch on the right side of the green. Whoops. The ball rolled back down the hill. A useful chip placed himself within 10 feet for par, but it wasn't meant to be.
Woods said the speed of the poa annua greens “caught me off guard the last couple of days.”
“I can't believe how fast the greens are here, considering how much rain. They got a little bit more roll-out. Normally they're not like that here. And as you know, I putt so much by memory and feel. I need to do a better job making adjustments.”
BEST: Another bounce-back on No. 11
Woods smoked his drive on No. 11, only for his second shot to land in the rough left of the green. However, Tiger garnered a recognizable roar with a birdie from the fringe to get back under par. This was his sweetest putt of the round.
BEST: Par save on No. 13
Following a shaky bogey on No. 12, Tiger went into the first cut off the 13th tee, then set up an up-and-down from the left of the green. He had found some rhythm with his short game at this juncture, and used a signature flop shot to expertly place his new Bridgestone ball within four feet.
He landed the 14th green in regulation and banked another solid par, then missed a nine-footer for par on No. 15. He registered another GIR on No. 16, setting up a two-putt for par.
BEST: Going big on No. 17
On the mammoth 609-yard Par 5, Woods bombed a 324-yard drive onto the fairway, then set up a lengthy eagle putt. At the time, Woods was just the third player to hit the 17th green in two. He properly judged the roll and drilled the 6.5-footer for a momentum-building birdie to get back to even.
BEST AND WORST: No. 18
Tiger's final hole played like a microsom of his round. He blasted his drive down the right side of the fairway, only to shank his approach into the pine straw.
“Well, my back was spasming the last couple holes and it was locking up,” Woods said. “I came down and it didn't move, and I presented hosel first and shanked it.”
Tiger said it had “been a while” since his last true shank in a competitive round.
But, the 11-time PGA Tour Player of the Year had one more flash of brilliance in him. He deftly directed his third shot through two Eucalyptus trees and onto the green, about 15 feet from the target. He settled for a two-putt bogey.
“I had a small window there,” he recalled. “Tried to hit a punch-up 8-iron after I just shanked an 8-iron. I said, ‘Alright, well, the next shot is probably a harder shot.' And yes it was, because I had to hit a punch-hook 8 through the little gap there, and I pulled it off.”
Watching Tiger Woods play golf: Never gets old.
He'll tee off at 11:54 a.m. PT on Friday.
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