Tiger Woods Confirms Reason For Genesis Invitational Withdrawal

Tiger Woods confirmed that he withdrew from the ongoing 2024 Genesis Invitational tournament Friday (February 16) due to influenza in post shared on his social media accounts Saturday (February 17).

"I would like to confirm that I had to withdraw from @thegenesisinv due to illness, which we now know is influenza. 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," Woods wrote.

Woods, 48, who was serving as the tournament's host, was said to have withdrawn due to illness, according to a post shared by the PGA Communications X account on Friday.

"Tiger Woods is a WD during the second round of The Genesis Invitational due to illness," the post stated.

The Genesis Invitational served as Woods' return to official tournament play for the first time since withdrawing from the Masters last April. The 15-time major champion had previously undergone surgery on his ankle after the tournament following a previous fusion on his back, though Golf Channel's Mark Fusbabek reiterated the PGA's claim that the withdrawal was due to illness.

"Not what we’re being told by him right now," Fusbabek said during the network's live broadcast of round two of the Genesis Invitational on Friday. "I’m sure that’s part and parcel to the reason but he’s not feeling well he’s feeling ill right now.”

Woods was involved in a single-car crash in Los Angeles on February 23, 2021, which resulted in open fractures affecting both the upper and lower portions of his tibia and fibula in his right leg, as well as other injuries to his foot and ankle.