Fans will be getting a glimpse of Tiger Woods a lot sooner than they thought after it was announced that the golf legend will be teeing it up Monday.
The 48-year-old had his long-awaited return to the PGA Tour at Riviera Country Club cut short last month when he was forced to withdraw six holes into the second round of the Genesis Invitational due to illness.
Many have since speculated the 15-time major winner will next play at the Arnold Palmer Invitational or The Players Championship later this month but it was revealed Saturday that Woods’ next start will come at the Seminole Pro-Am on March 4.
Woods will join the likes of Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas, Tony Finau, Collin Morikawa, Cameron Young and Nelly Korda alongside a field of amateurs, including NFL legend Tom Brady, at the prestigious Seminole pro-member event.
Woods will play alongside PGA of America CEO Seth Waugh, Thomas and Mike Walrath with the group scheduled to tee off at 7.47am ET at the Florida course.
Tiger Woods will play the Seminole Pro-Am on Monday March 4, it was announced Saturday
Woods will play alongside PGA of America CEO Seth Waugh, Thomas and Mike Walrath
The event comes two weeks after he withdrew from the Genesis Invitational due to illness
It will mark the first time Woods has competed in the event but he is yet to confirm his participation in either the Arnold Palmer Invitational or The Players Championship, which are scheduled for March 7-10 and March 14-17 respectively.
Meanwhile, no LIV Golf players have been invited to the event as negotiations between the rebel circuit’s backer, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, and the PGA Tour drag on.
McIlroy will join his father Gerry, three-time major champion Padraig Harrington and PGA Tour chairman Ed Herlihy, heading out at 8.32am ET.
Woods backed out of the Genesis after suffering ‘flu-like symptoms’ and entering his second round with a fever, his business partner and close friend Rob McNamara had said.
He entered the day hovering around the cut line after shooting a one-over-par 72 round yesterday – punctuated by a hard shank on the 18th hole at Riviera Country Club, which he attributed to a back spasm.
However, McNamara said his Friday departure from the tournament was not related to his back.
The icon failing to make it to the weekend is becoming a sight that fans are all too familiar with
‘Not physical at all,’ he said. ‘His back is fine. It was all medical illness, dehydration, which is now, the symptoms are reversing themselves now that he’s had an IV.’
At first, it was believed that Woods would leave Riviera in an ambulance, though a paramedic later reportedly denied that that was the case.
He was seen with his head in his hands in one video clip as he was carted off.
It was yet another worrying scene for golf fans, who are becoming well accustomed to seeing the icon fail to make it to the weekend since his 2021 horror car accident.
