Host of the Genesis Invitational, a PGA tour tournament, Tiger Woods began his game and his year 2024 at 9:25 a.m. local time, in the heart of a delicious winter Californian morning (bright sunshine, around 17°C).
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In a cream outfit branded by his new equipment manufacturer (Sun Day Red with TaylorMade, after leaving his historic partner Nike), the 48-year-old American attracted the crowd, who followed his assured step over 18 holes, reassuring for his state of health after his ankle operation last year.
In the audience, tiger disguises and a few well-known faces, like the coach of the Los Angeles Clippers basketball franchise Tyronn Lue.
The legend with 15 major titles started his day at the very chic Riviera Country Club with a birdie saluted by the spectators, but ended it in the trees at hole N.18.
Woods managed to escape with a nice paw between two trunks, for a simple bogey and an average final card of 72, one shot over par, eight shots behind the provisional leader, Patrick Cantlay.
“I've done a lot of good things and a lot of anything, one or the other. I had a string of birdies and bogeys, I couldn't be consistent
,” Woods commented.
"I was stressed. The way I play is important to me and I could feel the tension building (...) I hope I can make up for it tomorrow (Friday).”
The American, 49th in the ranking after the first round, must finish in the top 50 (out of 70) or less than 10 shots from the lead at the end of the second day on Friday to make the cut and defend his chances this weekend -end.
The Genesis Invitational marks the return of Tiger Woods to the PGA circuit, which he had not attended since the Masters in April 2023. He then had surgery on an ankle, after-effects of a car accident in 2021, then had resumed competition in December during two lesser tournaments, without completely removing doubts about his ability to return to the very high level.
Woods has announced that he wants to play one tournament per month in 2024. This could allow him to compete in all four major tournaments for the first time since 2019, the year of his 15th and last major title at the Masters.