Tiger Woods has pulled out of the Genesis Invitational golf tournament following his removal from the course due to symptoms of influenza. The 48-year-old golfing icon was escorted to the locker room by a rules official around 1:30 p.m. PT on Feb. 16.
Emergency responders subsequently arrived at the Riviera Country Club course, as reported by the PGA Tour.
Woods received treatment inside the clubhouse for “potential dehydration and dizziness related to his illness,” including intravenous hydration.
While the PGA Tour mentioned, Tiger Woods experiencing back spasms earlier, Woods confirmed on Feb. 17 that he withdrew from the tournament due to a flu diagnosis.
“I would like to confirm that I had to withdraw from @thegenesisinv due to illness, which we now know is influenza,” Woods posted on X. “I am resting and feeling better. Good luck to the players this weekend. I’m disappointed to not be there and want to thank @GenesisUSA and all the fans for the support.
According to Woods’ manager Rob McNamara, the golfer encountered “flu-like symptoms” during the second round of the tournament, as reported by NBC Sports.
The Los Angeles tournament, taking place from Feb. 15-18, marked Woods’ initial official PGA tour appearance since his withdrawal from the 2023 Masters last April due to plantar fasciitis. Subsequently, he underwent surgery for post-traumatic arthritis stemming from injuries sustained in his 2021 car accident.
In December 2023, Woods made his comeback to competition, securing an 18th-place finish at the Hero World Challenge. Shortly after, he teamed up with his son, Charlie, to participate in the PNC Championship.
Since 2019, Woods has participated in nine official golf events, as per the PGA Tour records. During this time, he missed the cut twice and withdrew from three events.
In February 2021, Woods was involved in a single-car rollover crash near Rancho Palos Verdes, California. The accident resulted in multiple open fractures in his tibia and fibula bones, as well as additional injuries to his foot and ankle.