Tiger Woods (48, USA), returning after 7 months, walked 16 out of 18 holes at the Genesis Invitational (total prize money of 20 million dollars) Pro-Am of the US Professional Golf (PGA) Tour.
According to ESPN, an American sports media, on the 16th (Korean time), at the official Pro-Am event held at the Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, California, USA, Woods arrived at the venue before sunrise and practiced on the driving range, and at 6 am local time He said he started the pro-am at 30:00.
According to local reports, strong winds of 40 km/h blew this morning, and the temperature dropped below 5 degrees Celsius. In response, Woods tried to keep his body warm by wearing a beanie hat and a neck warmer. This is because Woods’ legs, which had been in a car accident, do not listen more when the weather gets colder.
At the same time, the media said, “Woods seemed to be paying attention to going up and down the steep slope, but he walked normally without any noticeable limp.” He picked up the ball on the 16th hole and walked slowly up to the clubhouse. The cart was not used,” he explained the situation at the time. The Associated Press said, “There was no difficulty in climbing the 52 steps leading to the clubhouse.”
Woods, who won 82 wins (15 majors) on the PGA Tour, suffered a major car accident in February 2021 and underwent several surgeries on his right leg. He is still in a state where his body is not well, with iron rods driven into his legs. Woods, too, was concerned that hitting the shot wasn’t a problem, but walking, especially his right ankle, was affecting him the most. He said that his leg and plantar fasciitis are getting better, but walking 72 holes in four days can be a challenge.
However, at the official press conference held the day before, Woods showed strong will and confidence in winning, saying, “If I didn’t think I could beat these players and win, he wouldn’t have participated.”
ESPN reported that Woods had additional putt practice in preparation for the difficult green at the Riviera Golf Course. In the 9th hole (par 4), the tee shot and the second shot were done with a driver and a 3-wood, but the wind was so strong that the ball failed to reach the green and landed in a bunker around the green. 스포츠토토
This tournament is hosted by Woods’ foundation, but it doesn’t fit well with Woods. To be more precise, Woods has been rather weak at the Riviera Country Club, where this tournament is held. I haven’t participated in this event for 12 years since 2006 because I rarely get good results.
Woods played 11 times at the Riviera Golf Course as a pro, but never won. Riviera is the first time Woods hasn’t won a championship at a golf course for so long.
Woods knows this too. “This place has my favorite design and I know the course well, but I haven’t had much success. But I know what to practice and prepare for,” he showed confidence.
Meanwhile, the Genesis Invitational is one of 17 special tournaments designated by the PGA Tour, and has a total prize money of 20 million dollars (approximately 25.7 billion won), the largest amount among this season’s tournaments. 19 of the world’s top 20 players competed.