Woods withdraws due to illness in his first PGA Tour appearance since April.

Tiger Woods withdrew from the second round of The Genesis Invitational at Riviera on Friday due to illness, ending the 15-time major champion's first PGA Tour appearance since last April's Masters.

Woods was one over par after six holes and had just teed off on the par-four seventh hole when he decided to call it quits. He was then carted away by a rules official, his head buried in his hands.

The 48-year-old Woods, who is also serving as tournament host this week, dealt with back spasms in Thursday's first round, finishing eight shots behind the leader and tied for 49th place after a one-over par 72.

"He started feeling some flu-like symptoms last night. Woke up this morning, they were worse than the night previous," Woods' business partner and close friend Rob McNamara told reporters.

"He had a bit of a fever and was better during the warm-up, but then he started feeling dizzy. Doctors said he's got some type of flu and he was dehydrated. He's been treated with an IV bag and he's doing better."

"Not physical at all," McNamara added. "His back is fine. It was all medical illness, dehydration, which symptoms are reversing themselves."

In the opening round, Woods hit a rare shank on his approach shot at the final hole, which he later blamed on back spasms.

Woods made the cut at the 2023 Masters, but withdrew before the third round due to plantar fasciitis and underwent ankle surgery later that month.

Woods returned to professional golf at the end of November in an unofficial PGA Tour event called the Hero World Challenge, which had a small field and no cuts.

Two weeks later, Woods competed with his son, Charlie, in the PNC Championship, a 36-hole event with two-player teams consisting of a major champion and a family member.

SportsLigue