Tiger Woods, for a brief moment Thursday, showed that even he can be made to look mortal on the golf course.
It’s a big week for Woods, who returned to PGA Tour play Thursday for the first time since the Masters. The 15-time major winner teed it up at the Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club, the tournament he hosts in Los Angeles. It’s also the first time golf fans got an on-course look at his new Sun Day Red clothing brand he unveiled earlier this week.
A little bit of rust is to be expected for Woods, who has been out since last April with injuries. It was an up-and-down day for the 15-time major champion. Woods started his day with a birdie at Riviera’s famed first hole, before battling to keep it around even the rest of the day.
Then, at the 18th hole, he hit his worst show of the day.
Story continues below advertisement
Woods, sitting at even, looked to be in a perfect spot on the closing hole. He had 176 yards to the pin from the right side of the fairway with a chance to cut something into the green. Instead, he shanked it — so hard.
“Oh, I definitely, I shanked it,” Woods said in a post-round press conference. “My back was spasming on the last couple of holes and locking up. I came down, and it didn’t move, and I presented hosel first, and I shanked it.”
Woods said “it’s been a while” since he shanked one like that.
Story continues below advertisement
He took his medicine and got out of there with a bogey to finish the day with a 1-over 72. He admitted after the round his 48-year-old body was a little sore, but he said his surgically repaired foot felt good. Woods’ general rustiness was on display all day. He had five birdies and six bogeys. He lost strokes on approach, around the green and putting. He did gain off the tee. It’s going to take some time to put things together, of course, and if we know anything about Woods, it’s that he’ll be targeting the Masters in April as when he’ll want to get it all together.
As for the shank, the relatable error went semi-viral. The spin zone? Organic marketing for the new clothing line.
Woods will try to make the cut when he tees off Friday afternoon in LA.
Featured image via Jason Parkhurst/USA TODAY Sports Images
