Tag: Riviera Country Club

Tiger Woods battles back spasms in average return to PGA Tour action at 2024 Genesis Invitational

Woods shot a 1-over 72 in the first round at Riviera Country Club.

PACIFIC PALISADES, Calif. – Three members of golf’s walking wounded returned to the PGA Tour on Thursday with varying degrees of success.

Genesis Invitational tournament host and 82-time Tour winner Tiger Woods headlined a trio of pros who had been sidelined of late. Woods, 48, made his first official start since withdrawing from the Masters in April after making the 36-hole cut and then undergoing surgery to fuse his right ankle two weeks later. Woods gave himself a sponsor invite into the signature event with a $20 million purse as well as to Will Zalatoris, who withdrew before the start of the last Masters and required back surgery at the tender age of 26. A third sponsor invite was doled out to Gary Woodland, the former U.S. Open champion, who had brain surgery in September and hasn’t made a cut in three starts since his return to action.

On a delightfully sunny day near the city of angels, Woods, 48, attracted a typically large following that was hungry to see what his game looked like. It was a tale of signs of brilliance and moments of rust, carding five birdies against six bogeys for a 1-over-par 72 in the opening round at Riviera Country Club.

“A lot of good and a lot of indifferent. It was one or the other. I don’t know how many pars I had, wasn’t many. I was either making birdies or bogeys and just never really got anything consistent going today,” Woods said. “It was one of those days, just never really got anything consistently going and hopefully tomorrow I can clean it up.”

GENESIS: Friday tee times, TV info

With their son, world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, not teeing off until two hours later, Scott and Diane Scheffler were among the masses that watched Woods open with an easy two-putt birdie at the par-5 first but overcook his chip at the second and make a sloppy bogey from the middle of the fairway. Woods dropped another shot at the third, the first of four times he failed to get up and down from the sand. Even the 15-time major champion said he deals with nerves and he also struggled to adjust to the adrenaline rush of being back in the heat of competition.

“It is impossible to prepare for. I rely so much on experience and having done this a long time, but still having the adrenaline dump in the system, ball goes further, speed goes up, just the yardages are a little bit different than they are at home,” he explained. “It’s just different and that’s just a part of playing competitive golf.”

He struck a couple of pretty irons at Nos. 4 and 6, a pair of par 3s, to make birdies and get into red figures for the first time. He turned in 1-under 34 but after he made the turn the winds picked up and so did his score. He would sprinkle in four bogeys and just two birdies at the par 5s – Nos. 11 and 17—on the card. He was 6-over on the par 4s, which included a bogey at the last after his ugliest shot of the day, an 8-iron from 170 yards in the fairway that hit the hosel and flew off to the right.

A reporter tried to dance around the subject, saying, “I’m not going to say the word, but on 18 … ”

“Oh, definitely, I shanked it,” Woods said, interrupting. “Well, my back was spasming the last couple holes and it was locking up. I came down and it didn’t move and I presented hosel first and shanked it.”

Woods’s short game showed the most rust and it would be put to the test because he managed to hit just 10 greens in regulation. Woods was 2 for 8 in scrambling, which ranked T-67 in a field of 70. He also ranked 52nd in Strokes Gained: Putting, losing nearly a stroke to the field on the greens.

“I struggled with the speed of the greens,” he said. “I couldn’t believe how fast they were today even though I made a couple.”

For Woods, the biggest question remains how his body holds up and Mark McCumber, the 10-time PGA Tour winner and analyst for PGA Tour Radio, said that will be judged almost day-to-day.

“Can he last 18 holes without his body getting to where he can’t hold the angle because his body is getting tired or fatigued. That’s what we have to look for as the week goes on,” McCumber said. “If he has his health, I’m not worried about his golf game; that hasn’t gone anywhere.”

Woods showed no signs of discomfort until late in the round when he complained of back spasms and blamed the shank on his back locking up. That’s a discouraging sign after all the work he’s put in to mount yet another comeback this season.

“Foot’s good. Leg’s a little bit sore, things are a little bit sore, but that’s to be expected. That’s nothing that we weren’t prepared for and we’ve got some work to do tonight and tomorrow,” Woods said.

Woods will enter the second round with work to do to make the weekend. The Genesis Invitational is the first of three player-hosted invitationals along with the Arnold Palmer Invitational and Jack Nicklaus’ Memorial Tournament this season, which will have a 36-hole cut to the top 50 or any player within 10 strokes of the lead.

Woods played alongside Woodland, who birdied the first three holes and stood at 4 under through 11 holes before losing his way a bit coming home. He signed for 1-under 70.

“What he’s been through is scary,” Woods said of Woodland dealing with lesions on his brain. “I haven’t seen Wood at all. To be out there with him and just share the moment with him, it was a lot of fun.”

Zalatoris was the best of the sponsor invites on the comeback trail. He raced to six birdies in his first eight holes and posted a front-nine 29 en route to signing for 66. He trailed Patrick Cantlay, by two strokes after the former UCLA golfer and Southern California native made eight birdies and one bogey to post 7-under 64 and claim the clubhouse lead during the first round.

Woods will return to the course on Friday afternoon at 2:54 p.m. ET once again alongside Woodland and Justin Thomas.

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Photos: Merchandise from the Genesis Invitational and one of the best pro shops in the country

It is in the club’s pro shop where the cash register is working overtime this week.

PACIFIC PALISADES, Calif. — You won’t find a better-stocked pro shop in the country than at Riviera Country Club. The Genesis Invitational merchandise shop has a few goodies too but could be doubled in size. It’s a wee bit claustrophobic.

But it is in the club’s pro shop where the cash register is working overtime this week. Fans are bunching up in there too in search of the distinctive ‘R’ logo and the ever-popular Riv gear. The club features a United Nations of brands and a really good mix of gear by someone who has a good eye for fashion and the latest styles.

Down the hill between the first and second fairway is the tournament merchandise shop, which also has good variety among TravisMathew, Nike, Peter Millar, Tasc, Levelwear and even local brand Bogey Boys from rapper Macklemore. Some fun T-shirts, Tiger stuffed animals and colorful caps among the top picks this week.

Here’s a look at the merchandise gear on sale this week at the tournament and the clubhouse shop.

Shot-by-shot: Tiger Woods shoots 1-over 72 Thursday at 2024 Genesis Invitational

Everything you need to know from Tiger’s return to the PGA Tour at Riviera Country Club.

The Big Cat is back.

Tiger Woods returned to PGA Tour action on Thursday as the 15-time major champion made his 2024 debut at the Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club just outside of Los Angeles. Woods will do double duty as the tournament host of the $20 million signature event, which his TGR Foundation organizes.

The 82-time PGA Tour winner played both the Hero World Challenge and PNC Championship in the winter, but fans hadn’t seen Woods on the course in an official event since he withdrew from the 2023 Masters. In 14 previous starts at Riv, Tiger has one runner-up finish (1999) and just three top 10s. He finished T-45 last year.

Check out shot-by-shot analysis of Woods’ opening round 1-over 72 below.

10 crazy stats on Riviera’s famed 10th hole, the subtle changes to a gem of a green and what it means

The 10th at Riviera is one of the best holes on Tour.

PACIFIC PALISADES, Calif. — Riviera’s par-4 10th hole is arguably one of the coolest holes in golf let alone the best short par-4 on the PGA Tour.

At just 315 yards, the hole will tempt the majority of the field at the Genesis Invitational to try to drive the green. But here’s the stat of the week: Only 62.45 percent of competitors hit the 10th green in regulation from inside 75 yards in the last 10 seasons, the toughest green to hit in regulation from within this distance on the PGA Tour (min 350 attempts). Who said these guys are good?

Since last year’s tournament the green has undergone some subtle revisions that were meant to increase the pinnable area and there may be a new hole location or two this week.

Nevertheless, it’s a hole that will reward and frustrate, penalize and inspire many golfers this week.

Tom Kite who won here in 1993 had this to say about George C. Thomas Jr.’s handiwork: “It is pure genius. Everyone tries to design a hole like that now, and they come up short. I’ve tried to, but I haven’t come close.”

Kirk Triplett added: “A short par 4 is a chance for an architect to show his creativity, and I don’t think you could get a better example. It’s all about the angle of your second shot. It’s that oblong green. I think these guys now get in more trouble because they are always trying to drive the green. When you’re out of position, it becomes a very difficult par hole.”

Max Homa, the winner of the 2021 tournament here, may have said it best: “It’s either the best hole in the world or the worst. I still haven’t decided but I love it.”

Here are some more stats on the hole based on Shotlink data provided by the PGA Tour.

Viktor Hovland’s alternative route at Riviera’s 15th remains in play this week despite serious discussion to install internal OB

“You’d have to be asleep at the wheel to not know that the scoreboard has been placed in that gap.”

PACIFIC PALISADES, Calif. – Viktor Hovland’s alternate route to play the 474-yard par-4 15th hole at Riviera Country Club down the 17th hole will remain an option – a risky one at that over an electronic scoreboard meant to discourage players – after the PGA Tour considered installing internal out of bounds as a local rule this week but opted against it.

Instead of a power fade to turn the corner of the doglegged fairway and avoid the fairway bunker, Hovland for the past few years has been the most high-profile player opting to play down the 17th hole, which runs to the right of it. It’s a move he originally attempted playing at Riviera in the 2017 U.S. Amateur at the suggestion of his former Oklahoma State teammate Zach Bauchou.

When asked in 2022 if it was his game plan to play the hole in this manner regardless of the flag position, Hovland said, “I think so. … It’s a no brainer.”

Hovland also told Golfweek that his stats maven, DP World Tour pro Edoardo Molinari, advised him that was the best plan of attack for the hole.

“The main reasons to go down 17 is that you take out the right fairway bunker on 15 and you have a wider fairway to hit. It also makes the hole slightly shorter,” Molinari explained in an email.

The tournament’s rules committee, which is headed by Tour rules official Steve Rintoul, this week’s chief referee, spent considerable time on Tuesday and Wednesday considering whether to install internal out-of-bounds down the entire right side of the hole. The primary reasons to do so centered on safety concern for volunteer marshals and fans watching/walking on 17 being in the line of fire, and in part to protect the architectural integrity of the hole designed by architects George C. Thomas Jr., and Billy Bell, which they never dreamed to be played in this style.

Internal OB has been instituted in recent years to avoid a shortcut down the left side of the 18th hole at Waialae Country Club during the Sony Open in Hawaii, at No. 18 at TPC Sawgrass during the Players Championship, two separate spots at the upcoming Cognizant Classic at PGA National, not to mention at the first hole at Royal Portrush during the 2019 British Open to Rory McIlroy’s everlasting dismay.

“What if a guy tries to play the hole the right way and he’s behind a tree and his only play is to go sideways to 17? We’re taking that option away from that player. There were scenarios that didn’t sit well with us,” Rintoul told Golfweek in a phone interview Wednesday. “To do internal out of bounds at a revered place like Riviera for maybe one or two guys going that way isn’t a prudent thing to do.”

Genesis Invitational: Picks to win, odds | Tiger debuts ‘Sun Day Red’

The option to play down No. 17 exists because eucalyptus trees that used to block that route have died in recent years. The Tour filled the gap with an electronic board to discourage players from taking the route.

“There was a necessity for a scoreboard on that hole but you’d have to be asleep at the wheel to not know that the scoreboard has been placed in that gap,” Rintoul said. “We’re not naïve. But there’s good reason for it.”

Matt Fitzpatrick, who is another player who uses Molinari as a stats/strategy adviser, played his tee shot down 17 during his practice round but didn’t plan to go that way in the tournament.

“I didn’t particularly like the look of it,” he said. “It’s blind for the second shot if you don’t get far enough down.”

He also pointed out that the electronic scoreboard, which is meant to obstruct the view, had been raised between his practice round on Tuesday and his pro-am round on Wednesday and that the risk of hitting the board would prevent players from taking the alternative route.

“They raised it and put a flag or something on top of it to really mess with you,” Fitzpatrick said. “I think it’s ridiculous that they’ve done that.”

Matt Fitzpatrick of England chips on the fourth green during the Pro-Am prior to The Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club on February 14, 2024 in Pacific Palisades, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

Rintoul confirmed that the scoreboards had been raised but not in a malicious attempt to cut off the route. He pointed out that the boards are positioned at ground level every week and then raised before spectators are permitted on the course. They were lifted four inches ahead of the pro-am round.

Rintoul noted that according to ShotLink data only Hovland and Taylor Montgomery among this week’s 70-man field have opted to play down No. 17 in the past. Players would be advised to have their caddie forecaddie on this hole should they take the alternative route.

“If there was nothing in that gap, we could have a third of the field play that way,” Rintoul said. “That would force our hand with internal out of bounds.”

Adding to the intrigue of taking the alternative route is the fact that the 15th green, which Geoff Shackelford of The Quadrilateral describes as “one of the largest and most artfully constructed greens by Thomas and Bell,” underwent minor renovation since last year’s tournament that flattened the back right of the green. As a result, there’s an additional right-hand hole location on the green this week.

“I believe those flags (on the right side of the green) would be easiest to access from the 17th hole,” Rintoul said.

The long-term fix seems obvious: to add two large eucalyptus trees. It’s been discussed but it’s an expensive proposition that needs to be budgeted for in the future. For now, Hovland and potentially other players will continue to go bombs away down the 17th hole and the Tour will closely monitor the situation.

Tiger Woods on his pursuit of win 83 this week, his caddie change, and his new spikes

Woods said in December that his goal this year is to play one event a month through the major season.

PACIFIC PALISADES, Calif. – Tiger Woods has a new caddie, a new line of clothing but the same pursuit as always.

“A nice W would be nice, right? I haven’t ever won this event,” he said. “Hopefully I can figure something out and get myself in there in contention and maybe get a W at the end of the week.”

Woods, the winner of 82 PGA Tour titles, made his Tour debut here in 1992 but has yet to win in 15 previous starts at Riviera Country Club. Woods made clear that it frustrates him to no end.

“You can see that, and you’re asking me the question,” he said, breaking into a smile. “I have never really gotten hot with the putter at this course. Generally they’re bumpy poa, so it’s been a little bit tricky. For some reason, it just has never compiled to a hot week.”

He’s both the tournament host at the Genesis Invitational and playing for the first time in an official Tour event since the Masters after undergoing surgery to fuse his right ankle two weeks later and didn’t play a competitive round until December at the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas. He finished 18th out of 20 players. Woods said in December that his goal this year is to play one event a month through the major season.

“Trying to get used to the new feels of the body. That’s always the challenge. And the challenges of trying to get Tour ready, that’s been what we’ve been trying to do the last couple weeks and trying be sure I’m physically fit and ready to play this event,” he said. “We have our work cut out for us and look forward to it.”

Woods played nine holes on Tuesday and competed in the pro-am Wednesday in a group with Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen and veteran Major League Baseball player Aaron Hicks, who is married to Cheyenne Woods, Tiger’s niece.

On a glorious sunny day with just enough breeze that Woods wore a black sweater for 17 of the 18 holes, he was sporting Sun Day Red attire, the new clothing line he launched on Monday and a prototype of the brand’s footwear. Woods noted that he had to make a few modifications to the footwear to compensate for the different terrain from practicing near his home in Florida.

“Being at home in Florida and testing in Florida was very different than coming out here and playing off a slope and playing off of wet grass and having the traction I needed,” he said. “So I put some nails (spikes) in yesterday and it’s been working.”

Woods’s swing looked both fluid and powerful, and he had good control of his ball during the practice session.

“Never take a day off,” a fan shouted to Woods, which drew a wide smile from the 15-time major winner.

Between the eighth green and the ninth tee, Woods indulged in an In-N-Out burger, picking off the pickles and disposing of them in a trash container.

His gait, which has had a hitch since being involved in a serious rollover car crash south of Los Angeles after this event three years ago that severely injured his lower right leg, ankle and foot, looked improved and he never labored at any point in the round.

“I’m just happy to see the man not limping as much,” Max Homa, the 2021 Genesis Invitational winner, said. “Every event’s better when Tiger is here. It’s pretty amazing what he brings to an event with his presence on the golf course. Obviously it’s great that he’s had his name attached to this, but you want to see him play, all the fans want to see him play.”

Woods also has enlisted a new caddie on the bag this week in veteran Lance Bennett, who formerly worked for Matt Kuchar among several pros.

“I’ve had a great relationship with him over the years going back to when he caddied for Kooch and when we played at the Presidents Cup together back in, what, Muirfield Village. In all the years that we’ve been on Ryder Cups and Presidents Cups together and the times I’ve been able to play with him in the same groups — very down to earth, very loyal and how he (has communicated) through the years, I’ve also taken notice of that,” Woods said. “We’ve had the same type of feels in how we look at the golf course and how we read putts, they’re very similar. We’re going to be a great team and look forward to the challenge.”

Woods will tee off at 12:25 p.m. ET in the first round in a grouping with Justin Thomas and Gary Woodland on Thursday. When 13-time winner Jordan Spieth mentioned to Woods that he was playing right in front of him, Woods joked, “OK, I’ll hit into you then.”

Golf equipment spotted at the 2024 Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club

Close-up photos of the golf equipment stars like Tiger Woods, Rickie Fowler and Jordan Spieth are using.

PACIFIC PALISADES, Calif. – This week the PGA Tour moved from the frat house atmosphere of TPC Scottsdale to one of the most posh venues on the schedule, Riviera Country Club. Instead of crowds booing bad shots in an arena-like setting, the Genesis Invitational is all about movie stars, a classic course and an ultra-elite field highlighted by Tiger Woods.

Golfweek’s David Dusek was in the practice areas and around the PGA Tour equipment vans this week with his camera and took plenty of close-up photos of the gear being used by the players who are looking to win the $4 million first-place check.

Genesis Invitational: Picks to win, odds | Tiger debuts ‘Sun Day Red’

Check out the best photos of the 2024 Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club

Riviera is a gem.

It’s the final stop of the PGA Tour’s West Coast Swing.

The 2024 Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club is in the books, where Hideki Matsuyama took home the trophy and the $4 million first-place prize with a sizzling Sunday 62.

There were 70 players in the field, a Tiger Woods withdrawal, a Jordan Spieth DQ and 51 players who made the 36-hole cut.

The third signature event of the 2024 season also dished out 700 FedEx Cup points to the winner.

Take a look at some of the best photos from the 2024 Genesis Invitational.

Tiger Woods golf equipment at 2024 Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club

From his clubs to his new threads, check out Tiger’s gear ahead of the Genesis Invitational.

PACIFIC PALISADES, Calif. — Tiger Woods is returning to action for the first time in 2024 and acting as the tournament host for the Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club this week.

On Monday, the 15-time major winner helped TaylorMade CEO David Abeles launch Woods’ new lifestyle brand, Sun Day Red. On Tuesday, Woods played a practice round, and on Wednesday, he competed in the tournament’s pro-am.

Sun Day Red is going to garner a lot of attention this week, but Tiger’s golf equipment is always a source of fascination, too. Golfweek’s David Dusek has been on-site at Riviera Country Club all week and had a chance to take a look over Tiger’s gear Wednesday morning. He paid especially close attention to Tiger’s putter and took several close-up images that you can see below.

MORE: Check out Tiger’s new Sun Day Red gear

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Tiger Woods playing with two other stars on comeback trail in first official PGA Tour event since Masters

Woods’ goal this year is to play one event a month through the majors season.

LOS ANGELES — Tiger Woods’ official return to competitive golf since withdrawing from the 2023 Masters will come early Thursday in a grouping made up of three local stars.

Woods will tee off at 12:25 p.m. for the first round of the Genesis Invitational, a tournament he hosts at Riviera Country Club. Woods, from Jupiter Island, is playing with Tequesta’s Justin Thomas and Delray Beach’s Gary Woodland.

Woodland is making his fourth start since returning from surgery to remove a tumor from his brain.

Woods, 48, had ankle surgery two weeks after the Masters and did not play a competitive round of golf until early December at the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas.

Two weeks later, he played with his son Charlie in the PNC Championship in Orlando. The Genesis is his first official PGA Tour event since the latest setback.

While he was “able to knock a lot of the rust off” at Hero, Woods said his “hands felt better with control hitting shots” at the PNC.

Woods unveiled his new clothing line, “Sun Day Red,” on Monday. He played a nine-hole practice round on Tuesday morning wearing that apparel.

Woods’ goal this year is to play one event a month through the majors season, a schedule that, barring a setback, will include Genesis, The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass, the PGA Championship at Valhalla in Louisville, Ky.; U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2 and British Open at Royal Troon.

“We have set up right now the biggest events are one per month,” Woods said in December. “It sets itself up for that. Now, I need to get myself ready for all that.”

It was at this event three years ago that Woods was involved in a serious rollover car crash south of Los Angeles that severely injured his lower right leg, ankle and foot.

2023 Hero World Challenge
Tiger Woods speaks with Justin Thomas on the practice green during the first round of the Hero World Challenge at Albany Golf Course on November 30, 2023, in Nassau, New Providence, Bahamas. (Photo by Tracy Wilcox/PGA TOUR via Getty Images)

Woodland, Thomas also on comeback trail

Woodland and Thomas also are looking for comeback seasons in 2024, but for different reasons.

Woodland returned last month at the Sony Open in Hawaii after undergoing surgery Sept. 18 This is his fourth start of the season. He is looking to make his first cut.

Thomas has turned around his game after a disappointing 2023 that saw him miss the playoffs, snapping a streak of seven consecutive appearances in the Tour Championship. He has made three starts this season with two top 10s and a 12th-place finish in last weekend’s Phoenix Open.

Tom D’Angelo is a sports columnist and reporter at The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at tdangelo@pbpost.com. Follow him on social media @tomdangelo44.