Shock at Riviera Country Club. Tiger Woods has withdrawn from the tournament this Friday in the middle of a golf round due to illness. It happened right after hitting his tee shot on hole 7 with a 3-wood. The ball ended up in the middle of the fairway, but Tiger’s face, despite the good shot, showed a lot of concern. Something bad was happening…
He then said goodbye to Justin Thomas and Gary Woodland, his playing partners, and got into referee Mark Dusbabek‘s buggy heading to the clubhouse. He had made the decision to withdraw from the tournament. It was quite surprising, as he had not been seen during the first six holes complaining or showing signs of suffering. It is assumed that it was right there, on that shot at hole 7, when he noticed something strange and preferred to stop. Or he simply felt that his body could not take any more.
For Tiger to retire before finishing a round is not usual. He is used to enduring pain and has been seen finishing rounds at the Masters of Augusta or at the PGA Championship barely able to walk. It is clear that he felt something in his body that set off alarms. Initially, given his history, it was thought that it could be due to some physical problem related to his back, especially after revealing on Thursday that he had suffered some spasms during the first round. His gestures were of visible concern as he rode in the buggy, bringing his hands to his face.
However, the PGA Tour has officially confirmed that the reason for the withdrawal is not an injury, but an illness. Shortly afterwards, his right-hand man, Rob McNamara confirmed that he has a kind of flu. “He started feeling symptoms last night. He woke up this morning and they were worse. He had a bit of a fever. During the warm-up it was better, but then when he went out and started playing he began to feel dizzy. The doctors say he has something like the flu and that he was dehydrated. He has been treated with a bag of saline and is much better.”
It could be said that of the evils, the least. Much better a rampant gastroenteritis than some physical problem in the damaged back or ankle. At the time of Tiger’s withdrawal, two fire trucks and an ambulance arrived at Riviera. Obviously, all kinds of rumours and bad omens about his health were unleashed. Minutes later, the paramedic confirmed that Tiger was not going to need the ambulance and shortly afterwards he left the clubhouse on his own and left Riviera with his team in his own car. Strange moments were lived at Riviera.
Two fire trucks and an ambulance have arrived at Riviera Country Club. pic.twitter.com/Q75T42GFMt
— Sean Zak (@Sean_Zak) February 16, 2024
It cannot be said that Tiger has dropped out of the tournament because he was having a bad performance. Not at all. At the time of getting into the golf cart he was +1 on the day, with one birdie and two bogeys, for a total of +2. He was in the fight for the cut, placed at the time of his goodbye at +1.
