Tiger Woods Closes With Sunday 73 at Genesis, Sees 'Progress' for the Week
LOS ANGELES — For the first time since last year’s Masters, Tiger Woods completed a 72-hole golf tournament. The achievement is not insignificant, even if we analyze his flaws. He finished under par, the walking is far better than it has been and his swing looks excellent.
Woods finished the Genesis Invitational on Sunday with a 2-over-par 73 at Riviera Country Club to complete 72 holes at 283, 1 under par and in a tie for 45th, showing some of the signs of wear and tear that are inevitable given the difficulties with his right foot and ankle.
"It was progress, but obviously I didn’t win," Woods said. "My streak continues here at Riv."
Woods was being self-deprecating, noting that he’s never won the tournament formerly know as the Los Angeles Open, where he played in a pro event for the first time as an amateur at age 16 in 1992. This was his 15th appearance and 14th and at Riviera, the most of any event he’s played without a victory.
Not that anyone really expected that. Woods, 47, was competing for the first time in an official event since he missed the cut at the British Open in July. He made the cut at the Masters—then shot a pair of 78s on the weekend. At the PGA Championship, he also made the cut but withdrew following a third-round 78.
Woods looked far better here, putting together two under-par scores and lamenting a lot of missed opportunities on the greens.
"I felt like the first couple days I left certainly a lot of shots out there with some putts, especially Friday when I was blocking everything," he said, referring to pushing putts to the right. "Yesterday was better. Still wish I could have gotten within a touch of the leaders, but today they're running away with it. Even with a good round yesterday I wouldn't have been in touch today.
"(But) it means a lot. It's progress, headed in the right direction, yes. It certainly was a little bit more difficult than I probably let on. My team has been fantastic in getting my body recovered day to day and getting me ready to play each and every day. That's the hard part that I can't simulate at home. Even if I played four days at home, it's not the same as adrenaline, it's not the same as the system being ramped up like that, the intensity, just the focus that it takes to play at this level. No matter how much—I'm very good at simulating that at home, but it's just not the same as being out here and doing it."
Woods had five bogeys and three birdies in the final round, hitting eight of 14 fairways but only nine of 18 greens. He failed to get up and down for par four times when he missed a green and his short game let him down several times.
He was still impressive, however. Especially when you consider it is almost two years to the day when he was involved in the one-car crash near here that led to multiple surgeries and more than a year off from golf.
"I think it's unbelievable he’s doing what he’s doing," said Kramer Hickok, who played with Woods on Sunday. "I saw him leaving the clubhouse last night and he was limping pretty good. The work just to get up walking is a lot, nonetheless being able to walk up and down these hills and hitting golf shots. It’s insane. Just to be out here and playing again, shows his heart and determination.
“But he's still got so much game. I wouldn’t be surprised if he wins again this year."
Next comes a decision on whether or not to play another tournament before the Masters which is six weeks away. The only real option is the Players Championship, which begins March 9. That would give him two weeks of recovery and some time to try and ramp up again while giving him three more weeks after and prior to the Masters.
While the TPC Sawgrass course is relatively flat and he's won there twice, Woods competing there is far from certain.
"Like I told you guys last year, I'm not going to play any more than probably the majors and maybe a couple more," he said. "That's it, that's all my body will allow me to do. My back the way it is, all the surgeries I had on my back, my leg the way it is, I just can't. That's just going to be my future.
"So my intent last year was to play in all four majors, I got three of the four. Hopefully this year I can get all four and maybe sprinkle in a few here and there. But that's it for the rest of my career. I know that and I understand that. That's just my reality."