Tiger Woods deals with back spasms, cards 72 at Genesis Invitational - ESPN

PACIFIC PALISADES, Calif. — A reporter didn't want to mention the most feared five-letter word in golf when asking Tiger Woods about his next-to-last swing in Thursday's opening round of the Genesis Invitational.

The 15-time major champion said it for him.

«Oh, definitely, I shanked it,» Woods said.

Woods, making his 2024 season debut and his first start in an official PGA Tour event since the Masters in April, said he was suffering back spasms during the last few holes at Riviera Country Club.

When Woods attempted to hit an 8-iron from the right side of the 18th fairway, his back locked up. His ball rocketed dead right into a eucalyptus tree and came to a rest behind four trees.

«Well, my back was spasming the last couple holes and it was locking up,» Woods said. «I came down and it didn't move, and I presented [the] hosel first and shanked it.»

Somehow, Woods was able to hit his third shot onto the green. He two-putted for bogey. It was a disappointing finish to his round, leaving him at 1-over 72. He was tied for 56th when his round ended.

Woods has work to do on Friday if he's going to play on the weekend. In the PGA Tour's third signature event of the season, the top 50 scores and ties will make the 36-hole cut, as will any player within 10 strokes of the leader.

Woods carded five birdies and six bogeys. He posted a 1-under 34 on the front, but then had bogeys on two of the first three holes on the back. He picked up another bogey on the par-4 15th before the mishit on the final hole. He described his opening round as «a lot of good and a lot of indifferent.»

«It was one or the other,» Woods said. «I don't know how many pars I had, wasn't many. I was either making birdies or bogeys and just never really got anything