'Dizzy' Tiger withdraws, sparking mass fan exit

Will Zalatoris had a day to remember at the PGA Tour’s Genesis Invitational – his hole-in-one on the par-3 14th hole won him not one but two cars.

Zalatoris hit a seven-iron to the front of the green, and it rolled perfectly into the hole. He won one car for himself, while his caddy will take home the other.

But Zalatoris’ ace was completely overshadowed by Tiger Woods’ withdrawal from the event – his first competitive outing since last year’s Masters, which he also withdrew from – with the flu after just six holes in his second round.

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Woods being taken back to the clubhouse by a PGA Tour official.

Woods had just played his tee shot on the seventh hole when he asked for a cart to take him back to the clubhouse.

“He had a little bit of a fever and was better during the warm-up, but then when he got out there and was walking and playing, he started feeling dizzy,” Rob McNamara, his longtime associate and vice president of TGR Ventures told a PGA Tour official.

McNamara said Woods first felt symptoms after the first round, which only worsened overnight and into his round.

This whole week has been the Tiger Woods show, and now he’s a WD you can feel the air sucked out of the event. But there’s still an awesome golf tournament going on with many great players on an iconic course.

This is tough to hear, but as a sport we need to accept that peak…

— Flushing It (@flushingitgolf) February 16, 2024

Back in the clubhouse, Woods was hooked up to an IV drip before leaving the venue not long after.

Once news spread around the galleries of Woods’ withdrawal, a steady stream of spectators headed for the exit.

Woods had not played an official event since the Masters last April, withdrawing in the middle of the rain-delayed third round. He played the unofficial Hero World Challenge in December against a 20-man field with no cut, and the 36-hole PNC Championship with his son, Charlie.

Woods now has played only six official tournaments since returning from a February 2021 car crash in Los Angeles that shattered bones in his right leg. He has pulled out of three of them — the 2022 PGA Championship after 54 holes, the 2023 Masters when he didn’t return Sunday morning to complete the third round.

Woods had said he hoped to play one tournament a month through the major season. He had said Thursday he was experiencing back spasms, which led to his shank on the final hole when he started the tournament with a 72.

Woods also this week launched his new line of clothing with TaylorMade.

Patrick Cantlay’s six-under 65 was the equal low round of the day, and gives him a whopping five-shot lead into the weekend. He sits at 13-under.

Jason Day is best of the Aussies in a three-way tie for second at 8-under.