Tiger Woods just withdrew from the Genesis Invitational.
Before retiring, he said his 2024 season debut was affected by back spasms during competition.
Woods, 48, had fusion surgery on his right ankle in April 2023. The procedure was performed to address post-traumatic arthritis he suffered in a car accident in February 2021. He had not competed in nearly eight months and remained at home, where he suffered from back spasms.
At the Genesis Invitational on Thursday, Woods suffered his first back spasm in the first round of the event. Later that evening, “[Woods] started experiencing flu-like symptoms,” said Rob McNamara, executive vice president of TGR Ventures, Golf Week reports.
Tiger Woods on February 15, 2024 in Pacific Palisades, California.
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“I woke up this morning, they were worse than the night before. He had a low-grade fever and felt better during the warm-up,” McNamara said in a statement. “But when he went outside and walked and played, he started to feel dizzy. Ultimately, the doctors say he has some — potentially some kind of flu and he’s dehydrated.”
“He is being treated with an IV bag and is doing much better and will be released on his own soon,” McNamara concluded.
As a precaution, an ambulance and a fire engine were waiting outside the golf club.
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Tiger Woods on February 14, 2024 in Pacific Palisades, California.
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Woods’ withdrawal follows his recent absence from the majors in 2023. The 82-time Tour winner returned on Thursday.
However, he dealt with back spasms after trying to hit an 8-iron from the right side of the 18th fairway.
“Well, my back has been cramping for the last couple [of] hole and he was locking up,” Woods said, according to ESPN. “I went down and he didn’t move, and I presented [the] hosel first and shivered him.”
Despite a muscle spasm, he managed to hit his third shot on the green. He ended the day in 49th place. He was eight strokes behind first-round leader Patrick Cantlay. He described his opening round as “a lot of good and a lot of indifferent”.
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Tiger Woods on February 15, 2024 in Pacific Palisades, California.
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During the first round, he hit eight of 14 fairways and 10 of 18 greens and averaged 290.7 yards off the tee. The golf legend needed 30 strokes, losing almost two shots on the course in total.
“I struggled with the speed of the greens,” Woods said Thursday. “I couldn’t believe how fast they were today even though I made a couple. I ran a bunch by the hole today, it was very stressful.”
“Things are a little sore, but that’s to be expected,” he said of his injured right ankle and leg. “It’s nothing we weren’t prepared for, and we’ve got work to do tonight and tomorrow.”
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Tiger Woods on February 14, 2024 in Pacific Palisades, California.
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“I’m going to get rusty and I have to do a better job at home in preparation,” Woods said. “We’ve got to do a better job of lifting and healing and continuing the rehab protocols, all that stuff. I just haven’t done it in a while.”
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