Tiger Woods Playing at Genesis Open: Should You Bet on Him?
Tiger Woods is back.
The 15-time major champion winner announced he will play in this week’s Genesis Open at the Riviera Country Club.
“I'm ready to play an ACTUAL PGA Tour event next week @thegenesisinv," Woods tweeted on Friday.
I'm ready to play an ACTUAL PGA Tour event next week @thegenesisinv
— Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) February 10, 2023
Thursday will be the first non-major tournament for Woods since his single-car accident two years ago. Woods took part in three majors last season, including the Masters and the PGA Championship where he made the cut in both events. Woods finished 47th in the Masters and was forced to withdrawal after shooting 12-over par in three rounds at the PGA Championship due to injury. Woods then missed the cut at The Open.
The last time Woods was on a golf course was at the PNC Championship in December. Paired with his son, Charlie, Woods finished in a tie for eighth in the event. Woods was clearly ailing during the tournament and mentioned the plantar fascitis “is no fun,” but he still delivered a few highlight moments, including driving it past world No. 7 Justin Thomas and setting up birdie opportunities with his long irons.
Woods’ Genesis Betting Odds
As expected, Woods has been a shadow of himself since returning, with grimaces and limps down the fairway becoming a regular occurrence. Sportsbooks have him listed at long odds, including at +15000 at DraftKings and +12000 on FanDuel.
Woods hasn’t won since he took the Zozo Championship in 2019, six months after his last major title at the Masters.
History at Genesis
Woods made his debut at Riviera in 1992 as a 16-year-old high school sophomore. He shot 72-75 and failed to make the cut by six strokes.
The tournament has been hosted by Woods since 2017, and this week will mark his first time playing in it since the 2019-20 season.
Despite having 82 career wins, Woods has never won this tournament in 13 tries. He was runner-up in 1999. He has three top 10s and eight top 25 finishes in the event. Woods has also missed the cut three times. His latest finish here was T-68 in 2020.
Betting on Woods
It’s difficult to find any reason to bet on Woods. Any place bets can’t be considered since he hasn’t shown great form the last two years, and the last time we saw him, he was hobbling around and struggling.
It should be noted it is positive he is taking part in a non-major for the first time since the accident, which points towards improving health. He’s referenced on numerous occasions that hitting golf shots isn’t the problem, but walking and navigating the course with his leg and foot injuries is the biggest issue. This makes it difficult to see him in contention over four days.
The only bet to make if you want to back Woods is for him to make the cut. The prop bet is currently +156 at FanDuel Sportsbook. If you prefer to fade Woods, he’s currently –205 to miss the cut.
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