Member-only story
Tiger Woods Pulls His Back in the Final Round of the Genesis Invitational
Father time is undefeated
No one is immune to back pain. Not even Tiger Woods.
After splitting the fairway at the par-4 18th in the opening round of The Genesis Invitational, Woods was forced to pull an audible — to avoid risking pulling a muscle.
After a botched attempt from 176 yards out, where Woods’ ball sharply sailed toward the right tree line, the 48-year-old golfing icon dropped the club behind his back in disbelief; the ball advanced just 71 yards, leaving a 109-yard approach to the green.
Woods was left to place his hands on his hips, staring blankly ahead for a few seconds before regrouping to hit his third shot from the tree line to 15 feet, leading to a two-putt bogey.
Speaking to PGA media, Woods explained
“My back spasmed on it,” Woods said of his shank on №18. “It’s been spasming the last three holes, and it just locked up on me. Didn’t move, didn’t rotate, and presented hosel first.”
