FILE PHOTO: Golf - The 147th Open Championship - Carnoustie, Britain - July 22, 2018 Tiger Woods of the U.S. in action during the final round REUTERS/Jason Cairnduff
(Reuters) - Tournament host Tiger Woods has committed to playing at next week's Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, California, which will mark his first non-major PGA Tour start since October 2020.
Woods, who returned to competition last year on a limited basis following a 2021 car crash which required emergency surgery that still hampers his ability to walk, announced his return to action with a short Twitter post on Friday.
"I'm ready to play an ACTUAL PGA Tour event next week," Woods wrote.
The Genesis Invitational, which is run by Woods' foundation, is scheduled for Feb. 16-19.
Woods surprised the golf world when announcing he would play at last year's Masters where he shot an opening-round 71 and made the cut before fading to 47th place over the weekend as his leg injuries took a toll.
Six weeks later the 15-times major champion withdrew from the PGA Championship after carding a nine-over-par 79 in the third round during which his surgically-repaired right leg appeared to be causing him significant discomfort.
Woods then skipped the U.S. Open, the year's third major, so he could focus on the British Open at St. Andrews where he finished nine over par for his two rounds last July.
(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto; Editing by Ken Ferris)
