Tiger Woods announced his commitment to the 2025 Genesis Invitational on Friday. The 15-time major champion will return to a course where he has been enormously successful. The Genesis Invitational is usually contested at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, California, but due to the recent wildfires ravaging the LA-area, Torrey Pines South will take over as the host venue for the 2025 tournament. The tournament will be contested from February 13-16.
He has eight career wins at Torrey Pines including a 2008 U.S. Open victory on a Torn ACL. The last time he played at Torrey Pines he finished in a tied for ninth. The Genesis Invitational benefits the TGR Foundation. Woods was definitely going be attending the tournament, but it is a welcome surprise that he will be teeing it up as a competitor. This will be Woods’ first public appearance since his mother passed away earlier this week. How will Woods play in his first tournament of the season?
Woods Enters Genesis Invitational Rusty
Tournament host Tiger Woods is committed to play in the 2025 Genesis Invitational at Torrey Pines pic.twitter.com/iuBRAGtFEu
— The Genesis Invitational (@thegenesisinv) February 7, 2025
The Genesis Invitational will be Tiger’s first official PGA Tour start since the 2024 Open. He missed the cut and played miserably. In September 2024, Woods underwent back surgery. He has only made a few public appearances with a golf club in his hand since. He played in the PNC Championship with his son Charlie. Team Woods lost in a playoff to Team Langer. Tiger showed some signs of promise at the PNC, but it is a flat course with wide fairways. Torrey Pines will provide the all-time great with a much stiffer test.
Woods has also made two appearances in TGL. TGL is new virtual golf league he and Rory McIlroy helped found. Tiger has illustrated his hallmark competitiveness in a league that can be categorized as low stress. He will jump into the deep end of the pool next week.
Final Thoughts
The Genesis Invitational is a familiar spot for the 82-time winner to begin his season, and a change of venue may be exactly what he needs. Woods has never played well at Riviera while Torrey Pines is one of three courses where he has eight victories.
It is a positive sign that Woods feels like his game is at a spot where he can be competitive against the game’s best. The major champion has not been shy about saying that he would not tee it up unless he feels like he could raise the trophy on Sunday. While a win is unlikely, making and cut and holding up well over 72 holes will bode well for the remainder of the season.
