The GOAT is back! The news of Tiger returning to the course for this weekends Genesis Invitational spread quickly around the Waste Management Open in Scottsdale, AZ. Shoutout Scottie Scheffler on defending his title out in the desert.
No one knows better than his fellow pros how much Tiger Woods loves high-level competition, so when he posted on social media that he will tee it up at Riveria this weekend, PGA stars were quick to express their excitement about it. “That’s great,” Jason Day said after signing his card. “That’s awesome. That’s actually really good news. I’m actually really happy about that. It’s good that he’s out, he can walk and it’s nice to be able to see that. So, yeah, I’m excited to see him (this) week. That’s going to be fun.”
“I imagine we'll be carrying him down the hill on 1 and up it on 18, which no one would mind,” said Max Homa, a Southern California native who won the 2021 Genesis Invitational. “But it’s awesome. I’m really glad he's back. I think we’re privileged any time he plays now.”
He teed it up twice in unofficial events in December, at the PNC Championship with son Charlie (they finished T8) and in The Match as Woods and Rory McIlroy took on Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas. (Spieth/Thomas won.) Woods got around in a golf cart both times.
Woods, who is now 47 and has a net-worth of 1.1 billion, as well as numerous back and leg surgeries, would realistically never have to tee it up again. However, Tiger is a winner, and what do winners do? Win. He has won 82 times on the PGA TOUR, which is tied with Sam Snead for the most ever. He won the Masters Tournament in 2019, proving that he’s still capable of beating the best when he’s healthy, and captured the ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP for win No. 82 later that year. He has been very vocal about how he plans to play out the rest of his career due to his health issues and issues with just walking the course. The golf aspect isn't the problem, it is very clear Tiger can still compete with the best, it's the walking 18 holes for 4 rounds that is hindering him.
“He’s playing Riv?” Jon Rahm said. “Nice. I didn’t know. Great to hear. After all, he’s gone through. It’s incredible that he keeps trying. Spoke to him at Bahamas. Everything he had on his leg and then you add the plantar fasciitis. I really feel for him in that sense.
When Tiger is playing it is best for the PGA Tour. It's like if Jordan were to lace em up one more time and get in the mix again, or if Tom Brady un-retires again, sports fan love watching greatness. Tiger has never one the Genesis, one of the few tournaments he has never won, so it would be great to see him in the mix this weekend, but I think most will be happy to see him out there and hopefully make the cut. At +12000 to win, you have sprinkle a few pennies on it....it's only money!
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