Tiger Woods at Riviera to win, not make up numbers

PACIFIC PALISADES, Calif. – Tiger Woods may be long odds to claim an 83rd PGA TOUR win at The Genesis Invitational but the veteran claims victory is exactly what’s on his mind at The Riviera Country Club.

Woods, who returns for his first official TOUR event since The Open Championship last July, is adamant he’s not here to make up numbers, or to play a ceremonial golfer role for the event he hosts.

“I'm excited to go out there and compete and play with these guys. And I would not have put myself out here if I didn't think I could beat these guys and win the event. That's my mentality,” Woods said Tuesday from Riviera.

“If I'm playing, I play to win. I know that players have played and they are ambassadors of the game and try to grow the game… I can't wrap my mind around that as a competitor. If I'm playing in the event I'm going to try and beat you… I don't understand that making the cut's a great thing. If I entered the event, it's always to get a W.”

But oddsmakers have little faith that Woods can win for the first time since claiming THE ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP in October of 2019. He continues to feel the effects of leg and ankle issues suffered in a 2021 car accident and has an ongoing plantar fasciitis battle.

Woods sits +15000 to win with BetMGM sportsbook on the course he made his PGA TOUR debut as a teenager in 1992. Having played the tournament at Riviera 13 times (Woods was runner up in 1998 when it was played at Valencia Country Club) without a win, the classic course represents his white whale so to speak. No other course has seen Woods play as often, without a win.

Woods is +2200 for a top five finish, +1100 for a top 10, +450 for a top 20 and +150 for a top 40. BetMGM also has Woods at +8000 to lead after the opening round and +1400 to be inside the top five after one round.

“I am very rusty, but I've come off a rusty situation before and I've done well,” Woods added. “I've had to utilize a lot of those tactics in practice in buildup, plus also I know this golf course. I know I haven't had a lot of success on this golf course, but I knew what to practice for, shots to hit at home getting ready.”

Woods opens his first round with Rory McIlroy and Justin Thomas at 3:04 p.m. ET on Thursday before taking on Friday’s second round at 10:24 a.m. ET. His recovery from the quick turnaround could determine his chances to make the cut of top 65 and ties in the 130-man field, which he has done in nine of 13 previous trips to Riviera.

Despite that track record, oddsmakers expect him to make an early exit: Woods is +140 to make the cut and -175 to miss it.

“As far as the recovery, it's more my ankle, whether I can recover from day to day,” Woods said. “The leg is better than it was last year… so being able to have it recover from day to day and meanwhile still stress it but have the recovery and also have the strength development at the same time, it's been an intricate little balance that we've had to dance. But it's gotten so much better the last couple months.”

In his 13 starts and 42 competitive rounds at Riviera, Woods has three top 10s with the last coming in 2004. His scoring average at the course is 70.55 on the par-71 layout. Over his last 10 rounds, that ballooned to 72.1, but over his career in first rounds at Riviera he averages 70.38 having shot no worse than 72 as a professional and 74 as an amateur to kick-start his efforts.

Woods last played the tournament in 2020, battling to a 68th place finish. His career best at Riviera is a final-round 64 in 2004, with a high of 78 as an amateur in 1993. His highest round as a professional was his last on the course, a 77 in the final round of 2020.