Tiger Woods playing at Genesis a surprise and a treat for golf fans
Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades is certainly one of the best golf courses in California and a wonderful home for the PGA Tour’s Genesis invitational.
What Riviera isn’t is flat. The terrain challenges start on the first hole, where a golfer walks down and down and down to the first fairway from an elevated tee. The stretch from the third to the fifth holes rises and falls with the land, and even the flat back nine isn’t really flat, with golfers walking up and down subtle and not-so-subtle hills.
Finally, there is the march up not one but two hills on the demanding par-4 18th with the clubhouse towering over the entire course, taunting golfers with one last climb up a hill and cart path to reach the end of the day.
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That’s the challenge that Tiger Woods has decided to take on at the Genesis Invitational next week. Woods, who is the host of the tournament, announced Friday that he will play in the Genesis tournament, meaning he is committing himself and his right leg to as much as 72 holes on the hilly golf course in his first official PGA Tour event since the British Open last July.
That was one of just three official events Woods played – all majors – in 2022. The last time Woods and his leg, damaged in a car accident two years ago this month, played any golf for the public was in the PNC Championship in mid-December with his son Charlie.
Surprising choice
So Woods surprised the golf world by saying he would play in the Genesis. One surprise is that Woods is going to test his leg in something other than a major championship. Ever since the accident, those who believed that Woods could come back and play on the PGA Tour understood that Woods’ schedule would be very limited, and perhaps only include majors like the Masters and the British Open.
The other surprise is that Woods is choosing the Genesis tournament and Riviera for his return to official golf. Woods doesn’t have the greatest record at Riviera, having never won the tournament where he made his PGA Tour debut as an amateur at just 16 years old. The last time he played in the Genesis event was in 2021, when he made the cut but finished dead last among those still playing on Sunday.
For fans of Woods, Friday’s announcement on his social media account can only be good news. Woods didn’t look close to ready for actual competition at the PNC tournament, riding in a cart and limping when he walked. He even said he didn’t have much in his right leg that week. Two months later, Woods is ready to give his leg and his game a try for at least 36 holes on national television.
What this certainly doesn’t mean is Woods is anything close to a full-time return to the PGA Tour. First, there is nothing that compels Woods to play a full schedule, even if he is physically able, which he probably isn’t. Second, a limited schedule is probably comfortable for Woods, playing perhaps once a month and playing on courses where he has had success, like Augusta National. Six to eight tournaments would be a busy schedule for Woods.
So even if Riviera is a test run, an experiment to see how strong Woods’ right leg is and how sharp his game might be, don’t get too excited about Woods returning to your television screens too often. The three majors last year were more than most people thought Woods would play after the car accident. Adding a few more tournaments in 2023 will be just another level of success, even if Woods doesn’t finish in the top 10 or even break par.
Remember, when Woods’ right leg was mangled in the car accident, there was talk he might lose the leg but certainly wouldn’t play golf again. Playing at Riviera, hilly as it is, is a bonus for golf fans.
Larry Bohannan is the golf writer for The Desert Sun. You can contact him at (760) 778-4633 or at larry.bohannan@desertsun.com. Follow him on Facebook or on Twitter at @larry_bohannan. Support local journalism. Subscribe to The Desert Sun.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Tiger Woods surprises golf world with late commitment to Genesis event
