Tiger Woods returns this weekend to the official PGA Tour tournaments, starting in The Genesis Invitational, a very special event for him. This is the third Signature Event of the season, which will feature a field of 71 players, including some of the best in the world today.
Woods was out of competitive golf for six months in 2023 to treat foot ailments. He returned for the Hero World Challenge and then played in the PNC Championship, but had not started any official tournaments, so The Genesis Invitational will mark the start of his 2024 season.
5 things you need to know about Tiger Woods playing at The Genesis Invitational
Logically, Tiger Woods‘ return comes with a lot of anticipation from fans. It is no coincidence that Woods has chosen precisely this tournament, both to start his season and to unveil several breaking news.
Here are five interesting facts about Tiger Woods’ participation in The Genesis Invitational
1. Sponsor exemption
Any golf tournament in the world would be honored with the presence of Tiger Woods in its field. Therefore, it is not surprising that the 15-time major champion receives a sponsor exemption. The thing about The Genesis Invitational is that the Tiger Woods Foundation is the main sponsor of the event, in fact, Woods himself acts as the main host.
Tiger Woods has not played an official tournament since The Masters in 2023, from which he had to withdraw. Because of this, he currently ranks quite low (893rd) in the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR). As for the 2023 FedEx Cup, Woods barely made the list. With such credentials, he would never have been able to play in The Genesis Invitational qualifying on his own.
Woods could have chosen almost any other tournament to make his return to official events. However, the symbolism involved in doing so in Los Angeles must have weighed heavily on him to choose precisely this event. Who better than him, after all, to receive a sponsor’s exemption.
2. Three other exemptions
The Tiger Woods Foundation gave three other exemptions. One to Adam Scott, two-time winner of the event (2005 and 2020), the second to Will Zalatoris, who was already given a similar exemption to play in the Hero World Challenge, and the third to Gary Woodland, who has just returned to competitive golf after recovering from brain surgery.
The Charlie Sifford Memorial Exemption was given to Chase Johnson. This exemption is named after the 1969 winner of the tournament, who was also a pioneer among African American players. Johnson is one of the stars of the Advocates Professional Golf Association (APGA).
3. The Genesis Invitational and Tiger Woods
It was 1992 and a young Tiger Woods teed off at the Nissan Los Angeles Open to make his all-time debut on the PGA Tour. Since then, Woods has played the tournament 15 times and, although he has not been able to win it, he has left excellent results.
Woods has suffered three cuts in the tournament currently called The Genesis Invitational (he withdrew on one occasion). His best result has been finishing in second place, which he did for two consecutive editions (1998 and 1999). He has finished in two other top 10s.
Since 2018, the Tiger Woods Foundation is the main sponsor of the event.
4. Tiger Woods’ new equipment
Woods chose this moment to unveil the brand of clothing he will be wearing from now on, after his break up with Nike. The new brand is a collaboration with TalorMade, it is called Sun Day Red, and its logo is a tiger made up of 15 seams, allegorical to his 15 major victories.
But this is not the only thing new in Tiger Woods’ equipment. He will also be debuting the new 2024 TOUR B X ball, produced by Bridgestone. According to the manufacturer, Woods has been testing the ball for some time now, and it has benefited him in all aspects of the game.
5. Beginning of the calendar
At the end of 2023, Tiger Woods explained that he did not see a return to PGA Tour tournaments in the usual way in his future. His plan, he said, was to design a schedule of one event a month, so as not to strain his body and avoid a recurrence of his ailments.
With that in mind, Woods could be playing in The Genesis Invitational this weekend and rest until The PLAYERS Championship in March. Subsequently, he could make forays into the four majors and some other tournament. Should he qualify for the FedEx Cup playoffs, it remains to be seen how he would face the challenge of three tournaments in three weeks.