Tiger Woods back spasm shank final hole California

Tiger Woods struggles with ankle injury at Riviera Country Club, but remains optimistic and plans to play in upcoming events.

Tiger Woods, at the age of 48, is still adjusting to ankle fusion surgery that he underwent in April of last year. This surgery came after he withdrew from the Masters during the third round and did not compete again until the Hero World Challenge in December.

In Thursday's opening round at the Riviera Country Club, the 15-time major champion finished at one-over par. However, he struggled on the 18th hole when he shanked his second shot from the fairway into the trees on the right. This led to a two-putt bogey and a score of five for the hole. Woods later revealed that he would need treatment to prepare for Friday's round, as his back had spasmed during the 18th hole, locking up and preventing him from moving or rotating properly.

Despite these challenges, Woods remains determined to continue competing. He has previously stated that he plans to participate in one event per month this year. After Thursday's round, he emphasized the need for treatment and preparation to be ready for the next day, acknowledging that it is all part of the challenge.

During the opening round, Woods hit eight fairways, 10 of 18 greens, and took 30 putts. He described his round as a mix of good and indifferent, struggling with the speed of the greens and expressing frustration with his short game. Despite these difficulties, he managed to make a few birdies and finished with five pars.

As Woods continues to navigate his return to competitive golf, he faces stiff competition. Patrick Cantlay led the early leaderboard with a round of 64, followed closely by Australians Cameron Davis and Jason Day, as well as Luke List. Jordan Spieth was also among the group of competitors, finishing two shots behind the leader at five-under par.