Ailing Woods 'feeling better' after flu forced him out at Riviera

American withdrew to an illness that was later revealed to be influenza

LOS ANGELES:

Golf superstar Tiger Woods said Saturday he was feeling better a day after illness prompted him to withdraw during the second round of the Genesis Open at The Riviera Country Club.

"I would like to confirm that I had to withdraw from the Genesis Invitational due to illness, which we now know is influenza," Woods said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

"I am resting and feeling better. Good luck to the players this weekend."

Tournament host Woods hadn't played an official US PGA Tour event since withdrawing last April from the rain-delayed third round of the Masters.

Two weeks after that he underwent right ankle surgery to alleviate lingering pain from injuries suffered in a 2021 car crash.

Woods said this week that he feels the effects of those injuries, and of multiple back surgeries, "each and every day" so the sight of Woods being ferried from the course mid-round on Friday immediately sparked concerns that an injury was to blame.

However, his longtime business partner Rob McNamara said Friday that Woods had begun experiencing flu-like symptoms on Thursday night and had become dehydrated.

He was treated on-site with IV fluids before departing the course.