Tiger Woods Got in an Early 18 Wednesday at Riviera, and Looked Good
LOS ANGELES — The temperature reading said 41 degrees. It felt colder.
Perhaps it had something to do with the sun barely emerging. More likely the howling wind had something to do with it.
Whatever the case, there was Tiger Woods on the first tee at Riviera Country Club on Wednesday morning. The clock inched toward 6:30. For some reason, the Genesis Invitational tournament host—someone who could dictate his pre-tournament pro-am time—was going off first.
Wearing a ski hat over his golf cap and bundled up with layers, Woods dutifully knocked his tee shot into play from the iconic first tee at Riviera and went about the business of playing with three amateurs before a smattering of spectators, as there was no admittance to the general public.
Woods remarked that “I can’t remember the last time I was this cold," and noted that his practice at home in Florida has been in warm weather. “I’ve been sweating through three shirts," he said.
But Woods still somehow manages to swing the club properly even when the uncomfortable weather makes doing so difficult.
Playing a full 18 holes without a golf cart in public for the first time since the British Open at St. Andrews last July, Woods showed plenty of promise in the blustery conditions, although such circumstances make it hard to really judge.
Typically, all eyes are on the 15-time major champion and the way he walks, and there is so much focus on that given the severe injuries he suffered to his lower right leg and ankle that it is understandable. The bottom line is Woods is always going to show some remnants of a limp, and the longer the day goes on, the more pronounced that is likely to be.
That said, Woods moved around well and was in good spirits. He can hit all the shots, as was more evident during his Tuesday range session. On the par-4 9th hole, Woods hit a strong drive into the wind and opted for a 5-wood over a 3-iron from the fairway—and came up short in a bunker.
That is how hard the wind was blowing, but it also was a testament to Woods’s resolve. He shied away from no shots and seemed comfortable with what he was doing and suggested there has been improvement since he played with his son, Charlie, in the 36-hole PNC Championship in December.
“As you watched that PNC I was able to play out of the cart and hit shots and do whatever I wanted, but I just didn't have the endurance in my ankle, so we've been working on that and getting it to where I can still hit shots, but it's the walking endurance that's hard," he said during Tuesday’s news conference. “That's something that we've had to work on, walking distances on the beach, just basically stress it out but also be able to recover by the next day and see how it is inflammation-wise and then keep practicing. I may have overdone it a couple times here or there, but here I am."
Woods said the biggest issue is with his ankle and that he was working at home to find the proper balance between getting ready for the tournament and not going too far. He also said he has not walked 72 holes, which would be required here if he makes the 36-hole cut.
It is probably fair to say that Woods looks a bit smoother and more comfortable in the way he was walking and swinging Wednesday. But the operative word is "Wednesday." As we saw last year at the Masters and again at the PGA Championship, the wear and tear of walking progressively took its toll. And the cold temperatures here won’t help.
Woods said he kept to his usual early-morning pro-am routine because of duties surrounding his foundation’s involvement in the tournament. There’s a Wednesday night dinner to attend, which might explain why he has a 12:04 p.m. tee time on Thursday, with a quick turnaround at 7:24 a.m. on Friday.
A best guess is that Woods was a few over par given the casualness of a pro-am round. And that probably would have been just fine given the raw temperatures and difficult scoring conditions. His short game, which at times has been spotty in his limited appearances, looked good. Putting is impossible to tell given the lack of pressure but Woods has always struggled on the poa annua greens at Riviera.
He's also never won here, having played the tournament 14 times, and Riviera 13, without a victory, by far the most times he’s played any venue without a win.
Woods did make it up the hill beside the 18th green when finished, however, which is no small feat.
Now we wait to see how he fares on Thursday while playing the first round alongside Rory McIlroy and Justin Thomas.