Tiger Woods (48, USA), who seriously injured both legs in a car accident in February 2021, sentenced his player life to a ‘time limit’. This is because he reduced his physical limitations in the Masters tournament he participated in last year. Professional golfers walk at least 8 to 9 kilometers per tournament, which was difficult for Woods’ legs to endure. After the game, Woods’ leg was swollen and required painful rehabilitation.
Woods confided, “(Rehabilitation now) is worse than any pain I’ve gone through.” At the same time, he said, “My goal is to participate in at most four major tournaments and one or two general tournaments in the coming year.” Experts predict that Woods will only be able to participate in about 20 tournaments considering the timing of his retirement. Considering that he has always said, “If I don’t want to win, I won’t play,” I analyzed that the time given to Woods would realistically be limited to three to four years.
Woods built a friendship with Chairman Chung Eui-sunSuch Woods decided to use the few remaining cards for the Genesis Invitational (total prize money of 20 million dollars), which opens on the 16th. On the 11th (Korean time), Woods wrote on his Twitter, “I’m ready to participate in the PGA Tour tournament (Genesis Invitational) next week.” It’s been two months since I went to the PNC Championship last December, and I’m going to the field. If it is limited to PGA Tour events, it is the first time since the Open Championship, a major tournament held in July last year.
Woods’ participation has a natural part. First of all, this tournament is hosted by Woods. He gathers his sponsors and is even responsible for running the tournament. There are three tournaments on the PGA Tour where “legends” participate as hosts. The late Arnold Palmer’s Arnold Palmer Invitational, Jack Nicklaus (83, USA)’s Memorial Tournament, and Woods’ Genesis Invitational. This year, it was designated as one of the ’17 special competitions’ and the edition became bigger. Woods has no choice but to be affectionate. 카지노
Even considering this, it was unexpected that Woods participated in the Genesis Invitational. Upon hearing the news of Woods’ participation, Yon Ram (29, Spain) asked reporters, “Is Woods really playing in Riviera (where the Genesis tournament is held)?”
It is rumored in the golf world that the reason Woods chose this tournament as the first event of the season is because of his special relationship with Genesis that goes beyond being a sponsor-host. A PGA Tour official said, “Wasn’t there a lot of reports saying that it was the Genesis car that saved Woods’ life in the accident?”
It is also known that Woods’ close friendship with Chung Eui-sun, chairman of Hyundai Motor Group, for seven years has also had an impact. After the Tiger Woods Foundation took over the operation of the Genesis Invitational in 2017, Chung and Woods, who have built up a close relationship, are close enough to talk personally. When the news of Woods’ accident reached the world, it was said that it was a good opportunity to promote the car, and Chairman Chung drew a line, saying, “It is not polite to publicize a car when a person is injured.” Last year, at a meal ahead of this tournament, it was known that Woods said “thank you” and secretly paid for the meal before Chairman Chung got up.
A course that has never won in 14 appearancesPacific Palisades Riviera CC, California, USA, where the tournament is held, is a golf course that Woods loves and hates. Woods, who grew up near Riviera CC, one of the most prestigious courses in the western region, has not hidden his affection for this golf course. It was here at the 1992 LA Open that he made his PGA Tour debut at the age of 16.
However, it was ‘bad luck’ from his first meeting. The record he accepted in his first appearance was a cut, and he later made 13 more appearances, but never won a championship. The only tournament Woods has participated in more than three times and has not won is the one held at Riviera CC. He is holding his own tournament every time at such a golf course.