Tiger Woods connection to Genesis Invitational | Golf News

PGA Tour legend and TGL co-founder Tiger Woods has claimed 82 PGA Tour victories, but the Genesis Invitational holds particular significance for {the golfing} icon as he personally hosts the match at The Riviera Country Club.

In 2020, Woods assumed the function of official host for the Genesis Invitational, following in the footsteps of icons Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer. Nicklaus’s legacy is related with the Memorial Tournament, while Palmer’s is related to the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill.

For Woods, this event turned a signature one to forge his own path, even though he will not be competing in this yr’s match as he recovers from lumbar disc substitute surgical procedure, just as he sat out last season.

Woods will not rule out a potential 2026 Masters return, despite only a 33 % probability of a predicted Augusta comeback.

Just before the first participant teed off, Woods fielded media questions about the event, explaining how Riviera has advanced since the Los Angeles Open and Woods’ 1992 PGA Tour debut on a sponsor exemption.

“They’ve moved some tees back. The 12th tee is nowhere near what it used to be. The 8th hole is nowhere near what it used to be. But what has stood the test of time is that iconic first tee shot,” said Woods.

“That hasn’t gone anywhere. We’ve always played in front of the clubhouse. It’s very similar to the first tee shot at St Andrews to me. When you go back through the test of time, and you look at all the photos, and you go back 100 years, you’re going to see the same tee shot right in front of the clubhouse,” he continued.

“I think that the classicness of the golf course, the bunkering, the subtleness of the green complexes out here, this is one of the harder golf courses to post a score on.”

Woods missed the cut during his initial look, but departed satisfied he would ultimately succeed. Three many years later, he oversees the event as its figurehead, despite never having gained it.

The Genesis Invitational is the match Woods has competed in most regularly without claiming the trophy. Over 16 begins, his strongest finishes had been a solo second in 1998 and a tie for second in 1999.

In 2020, the PGA Tour elevated the event to “Invitational” standing, creating a smaller subject. The event now options a $20 million purse and awards the winner a three-year Tour exemption.

The basis’s mission helps TGR Learning Labs throughout Southern California and past, advancing STEM schooling and school access applications. In 2026, it is going to rejoice its thirtieth anniversary.

The 2026 match marks its a centesimal version and returns to Riviera after being held at Torrey Pines due to wildfires. Genesis renewed sponsorship through 2030 to assist the high prices of a trendy Signature Event.