Golf-Woods struggles to maintain calm, shoots 69 in Genesis return
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(Reuters) – Tiger Woods mentioned he was attempting to remain calm all through his first spherical on the Genesis Invitational on Thursday, the place he posted a two-under-par 69 in his first non-major PGA Tour occasion since October 2020.
Woods has competed on a restricted foundation since a 2021 automobile crash virtually value him a leg, that includes within the subject for the Masters, PGA Championship and the Open final 12 months.
He competed within the PNC Championship along with his son, Charlie, in December regardless of creating plantar fasciitis earlier within the month.
“Misses, angles, wind – these are all issues which have come second nature to plenty of these guys – I have not actually performed this shortly,” mentioned the 15-times main winner on Thursday.
Woods, who made his PGA Tour debut on the Riviera Nation Membership some three a long time in the past, closed out his spherical with three straight birdies, a lot to the delight of the packed galleries as followers clutched cell telephones straining to catch a snapshot.
“I did not actually search for as a lot. I in all probability ought to have,” he later informed reporters.
“I used to be attempting to calm myself down all day, attempting to determine what the hell I am doing out right here as a result of I have not performed.”
Woods, taking part in alongside Rory McIlroy (67) and Justin Thomas (68), chipped right into a bunker on 10, resulting in one in all three bogeys on the day.
However he whipped the gang right into a frenzy as he drained a more-than 23-foot putt on 17 and completed 5 photographs shy of clubhouse leaders Max Homa and Keith Mitchell (each 64).
“I in all probability ought to have appreciated the followers greater than I did, however there was a lot happening in my head attempting to get the ball within the right spots and the proper feels simply because I have not performed this shortly,” mentioned Woods.
The match was suspended as a consequence of darkness with the handful of gamers who had not accomplished the primary spherical set to renew on Friday at 7:45 a.m. (1545 GMT).
(Reporting by Amy Tennery in New York; Modifying by Peter Rutherford)
