Tiger Woods is set to make his long-awaited return to the PGA Tour this week at Riviera Country Club. This holds special significance for Woods, as he has a deep connection to this course. As a young child, he attended the Los Angeles Open with his father and later made his PGA Tour debut at Riviera when he was just 16 years old. Although he didn’t make the cut that time, it marked the beginning of his journey in professional golf.
Since 2017, Woods has also been the host of the annual Genesis Invitational at Riviera. This event holds great importance for him, as it supports his TGR Foundation as the primary charitable beneficiary. Clearly, this course holds a special place in Woods’ heart.
However, despite his numerous starts at Riviera, Woods has yet to secure a victory there. Even during his prime years when he was dominating the golf world, he couldn’t crack the code of winning at this course. The closest he came was a tie for second place in 1999. While some golf analysts have criticized his record at Riviera, it’s important to remember the incredibly high standard that Woods set for himself throughout his career.
As Tiger Woods prepares to tee off at Riviera once again, fans and critics alike will be watching closely to see if he can finally conquer this elusive course. It’s a chance for him to add another chapter to his storied career and potentially rewrite the narrative surrounding his history at Riviera. Only time will tell if he can rise to the challenge and emerge victorious.
Tiger Woods is set to make his 15th appearance at Riviera this week for the 2024 Genesis Invitational. This will be his first official start since withdrawing from The Masters last April due to plantar fasciitis. After undergoing surgery two weeks later, Woods returned to action in early December at the Hero World Challenge, where he finished 18th in a 20-player field. He then teamed up with his son Charlie in the PNC Championship, where they tied for fifth place.
On Thursday, February 15, Woods will begin his week at Riviera alongside Justin Thomas and Gary Woodland. They will tee off at 12:25 p.m. Eastern/9:25 a.m. and play their second round on Friday, February 16, at 2:54 p.m. Eastern/11:54 a.m. Pacific.
Woods has a strong track record at Riviera, having only missed the weekend four times in his career. However, two of those instances occurred when he played as an amateur in 1992 and 1993. The other two times were in 2006, when he withdrew due to illness, and in 2018, when he was dealing with back troubles.
When looking at his 10 starts as a professional, Woods has only failed to crack the top 20 twice, in 2020 and 2023. This is still an impressive record, considering the high expectations placed on him during his prime. It’s worth noting that even Jack Nicklaus, Woods’ idol who won 18 majors and 73 PGA Tour events, never won at Riviera.
A win at Riviera would be monumental for Woods, as it would be his 83rd victory on the PGA Tour, breaking the tie with Sam Snead for the most wins in history. It would be a sweet and historic moment for Woods.
According to the Source heavy.com