Tiger Woods cancels Genesis Invitational – emotional reasons revealed!

Tiger Woods cancels Genesis Invitational – emotional reasons revealed!

Golf superstar Tiger Woods canceled his start at the Genesis Invitational at short notice today for a very personal reason: the death of his mother. This decision is causing a stir, especially since the highly endowed tournament, which offers $20 million in prize money, was already affected by another scandal: It had to be moved from Pacific Palisades to San Diego due to the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles, reported crown.

Meanwhile, the tournament features several prominent players, including Austrian Sepp Straka and Scot Robert MacIntyre. The two golf professionals, who got along well during the 2023 Ryder Cup, share a special bond. MacIntyre even recalled a funny gift he gave Straka at the Scottish Open - a bottle of Scotch from his homeland. This year, both players will also be making appearances at the fan-favorite Hero World Challenge, hosted by Woods. MacIntyre, speaking to The Scotsman's Martin Dempster, recalled the memorable first encounter with Woods during the 2022 Masters, which left him somewhat embarrassed. “I just have to put my big boy pants on,” MacIntyre said as he expressed his nervousness about his second encounter with the golf legend, as reported by Sportskeeda reported.

Tiger Woods and his challenges

However, Tiger Woods continues to struggle with the effects of his sixth back operation and has therefore barely played this season. Even if he isn't playing at the Hero World Challenge himself, he will still be there to fulfill his hosting duties. MacIntyre is full of praise for Woods: "He's changed the game. For me he's the best I've ever seen," the Scot was quoted as saying. He is also in eighth place after the first round of the Hero World Challenge with a score of four under par. This competition promises to be an exciting event, especially with Woods as host and the talented players on the course.