Golf

Tiger Woods withdraws during PGA Tour return due to illness

Rory McIlroy recovers well to shoot second round 66, powered by eagle

Tiger Woods of the US walks through fans during the second round of The Genesis Invitational at Riviera. Photograph: Etienne Laurent/EPA
Tiger Woods of the US walks through fans during the second round of The Genesis Invitational at Riviera. Photograph: Etienne Laurent/EPA
Fri Feb 16 2024 - 22:30

Tiger Woods’ PGA Tour comeback ended prematurely after he pulled out of the Genesis Invitational in California during his second round.

The 48-year-old is still adapting to ankle fusion surgery, having undergone treatment in April last year after withdrawing from the Masters during the third round and he did not compete again until the Hero World Challenge in December.

The 15-time major champion, tournament host this week, finished Thursday’s opening round at the Riviera Country Club on one-over par.

But the American could not back that up a day later as he withdrew after six holes due to illness.

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Woods started in fine form, producing a birdie on the first, but back-to-back bogeys arrived from the fourth and he called it a day after a third par of the day on the sixth left him one over for his round.

Meanwhile, Rory McIlroy recovered well from a disappointing first round 74 with an impressive 66 in round two, helped by an eagle three at the 11th hole.

The Northern Irishman hit a 336-yard drive before a towering long iron from 237 yards to nine feet of the hole, which he finished off for eagle. McIlroy had three more birdies and no bogeys, a stark contrast from his back nine yesterday when he came in 41 shots with a triple and double bogey.

Séamus Power was fighting the cut at level par for the tournament after 13 holes, but three under on his day. The projected cut was level par. Luke List, Mackenzie Hughes and Jason Day held the clubhouse lead on eight-under-par.