Tiger Woods withdraws from Torrey Pines, says he's 'not ready'

Golf icon Tiger Woods (49) announced on Monday that he is "just not ready" to participate in this week's Genesis Invitational at Torrey Pines, as he had initially planned, following the recent passing of his mother.

Woods had previously committed to his first professional tournament in seven months, which is a US PGA Tour event that he hosts. This decision to compete came shortly after he revealed the death of his mother, Kultida, last week.

The 15-time major champion was set to make his first appearance in a non-major event on the US tour since he withdrew after one round at the Genesis last February due to illness.

In his last major tournament, Woods finished 60th at the Masters and did not make the cut in the other three majors of the year, as he faced challenges recovering between rounds due to ongoing back issues and leg injuries sustained in a 2021 car accident.

His most recent competitive outing was at the Open Championship in July.

In September, Woods underwent another back surgery and later participated in the PNC Championship family event in Florida alongside his 15-year-old son, Charlie, in December.

Additionally, he has been involved in the TGL indoor simulator league, which he co-founded with Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy earlier this year.

Woods has a storied history at Torrey Pines' South Course, where he has achieved eight victories, including his memorable 2008 US Open win in an 18-hole playoff against Rocco Mediate.

Just two days after that triumph, Woods announced he would undergo knee surgery, disclosing that he had played with a broken leg.

The Genesis is typically held at the Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles. Although the historic venue was not damaged by recent fires, it was located within the mandatory evacuation zone that required residents to evacuate due to the Palisades fire last month.

As a result, organizers and the tour decided to relocate the event to mitigate the impact of the fires on the local community.