Tiger Woods commits to Genesis Invitational: 15-time major winner returning to PGA Tour action at Riviera
Tiger Woods is officially in the field for next week’s 2024 Genesis Invitational, a tournament which he hosts annually, the 15-time major winner announced on Wednesday. Woods’ appearance will mark the first time since the 2023 Masters that the 48-year-old will tee it up on the PGA Tour. Woods was forced to withdraw from the third round at Augusta National due to an ankle injury, but the newly fused joint looked sturdy during his ramped-up winter schedule.
Woods added the Hero World Challenge to his playing calendar in early December and showed signs of improvement — both among his game and his physical health — with rounds of 75-70-71-72. A rejuvenated Woods walked 72 holes in competition for the first time since the 2023 Genesis Invitational and got stronger as the week progressed. He even hinted at what his 2024 schedule could look like with the starting point coming at Riviera.
“That best scenario would be maybe a tournament a month,” Woods said at the Hero World Challenge. “That’s realistic whether that’s — you would have to start with maybe at Genesis [Invitational] and something in March near The Players. Again, we have set up right now the biggest events are one per month. It sets itself up for that. Now, I need to get myself ready for all that.”
Woods played alongside his son, Charlie, a couple weeks later at the PNC Championship. The Woods family finished inside the top 10 once again in the 36-hole scramble and signs of Woods’ improvement continued.
While Riviera is near and dear to Woods’ heart, the California gem has yet to produce a trophy for Woods. In 15 prior appearances in the Genesis Invitational, the tournament host has failed to the enter the winner’s circle, with his best effort coming in 1998 when he lost in playoff to Billy Mayfair at Valencia Country Club. Woods finished T45 in last year’s tournament, which broke a seven-month hiatus from competition.
The Genesis Invitational will be the third signature event of the 2024 PGA Tour season and is a player-hosted invitational. Each of the three player-hosted invitationals — Genesis, Arnold Palmer and Memorial — have a tournament host exemption and feature a 36-hole cut to the top 50 and ties as well as any player within 10 shots of the lead.
Form will not be the only subject of intrigue when it come to Woods at Riviera. No longer sponsored by Nike for the first time in 27 years, Woods’ clothing decision will draw as much interest as his play with an announcement imminent.
