Tiger to tee up on bogey course
WOODS HAS NEVER WON THE GENESIS OPEN
Tiger Woods says there’s “no secret” to playing Riviera Country Club, but it’s just not something he’s done well over the years. “There’s no secret to this golf course,” the 14-time Major champion said on Wednesday as he prepared to play in the Genesis Open, the US PGA Tour event he hosts for the benefit of his TGR Foundation.
Woods made his first PGA Tour start as a 16-year-old at Riviera in 1992, playing on a sponsor’s exemption and missing the cut.
He has gone on to amass 80 US PGA Tour titles, but in 11 prior appearances he has never lifted the trophy at the course he played so often as a youngster.
“Hopefully I can finally play this golf course well,” said Woods, who despite his lack of success remains a fan of the classic course.
“I love playing this golf course,” he said. “There’s no faking it around this golf course.
“It puts such a premium on putting the golf ball in play and hitting the ball high.”
Woods will be making his second start of 2019, after a tie for 20th at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines.
Woods will play the limited field tournament for the first time since 2014, when the event was held in Miami.
“I’m playing next week,” Woods confirmed after his proam round.
“Beyond that, I haven’t really decided on what I’m going to be doing. I decided yesterday to add Mexico to my schedule.”
But even if Woods hasn’t ironed out all the details of his build-up to the Masters in April, he is in a “very different position” to February of last year, when he was taking his first steps in a comeback from spinal fusion surgery.
“I know what my body can and cannot do,” said Woods, who lifted the Tour Championship title in Atlanta in September and comes into this week ranked 13th in the world.
As he did last year at Riviera, Woods will play the first two rounds with Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy and Justin Thomas.
Defending champion Bubba Watson, gunning for a fourth Genesis Open title, will play the first two rounds alongside Dustin Johnson and big-hitting rookie Cameron Champ.