Tiger Woods apologizes for giving Justin Thomas a tampon

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Tiger Woods apologized Friday for his prank the day before, when he gave a tampon to his friend Justin Thomas during the first round of the Genesis Invitational, garnering criticism in the media and on social networks. 

“If I offended anyone in any way, I'm sorry. It was not my intention. It's just that we joke with each other all the time. It was just a joke between friends for fun and it obviously didn't go down that way,” Woods said after his second round at the Riviera Country Club near Los Angeles. /p>

Tiger Woods apologises after he drew criticism for handing a tampon to Justin Thomas during the first round of the Genesis Open. pic.twitter.com/Ix0e73u43V

— Sky Sports Golf (@SkySportsGolf) February 17, 2023

It was halfway through, after the 9th hole, that the 47-year-old golfing superstar put the stamp in a hand of Thomas, who laughed at it before dropping the object on the ground.

Yes, Tiger Woods 100% handed Justin Thomas a tampon after he outdrove him. pic.twitter.com/VJbfldyXhw

— Busted Coverage (@bustedcoverage) February 17, 2023

Which has not been to the liking of many people.

“Really, Tiger”, thus lamented the columnist of USA Today Christine Brennan to denounce the attitude “immature” winner of 15 Grand Slams.

“Woods' message to Thomas was obvious. It's been the guideline of silly and often insecure boys for generations: you play like a girl,” she interpreted.

The reactions also fused on social networks. “Treat me as a “woke” (a person aware of the injustices and inequalities that surround him, editor’s note), say that I am touchy or that I feel too easily offended. But giving another golfer a stamp is objectively not funny,” wrote an anonymous person on Twitter.

For others, on the other hand , the anger felt is “excessive”, even “manufactured”.

Woods, who struggled in his second round, may not make the cut and therefore go all the way in the tournament, marking his return to the greens after seven months out.

Woods on the verge of elimination

The day after a stunning first round, for his return to the greens after seven months of absence, Tiger Woods, betrayed by his roll much more than by his physique, faltered in the second round on Friday, at the risk of missing the cut of the Genesis Invitational.

The grimace obviously did not hide the disappointment in the golf superstar, with 15 Grand Slam titles, who dreams of becoming alone, the most successful player in the history of the USPGA. A status he shares with Sam Snead, co-holder of the record for the most wins (82).

Because the 47-year-old American could well be eliminated after just two rounds. It would be the 7th time in now 258 tournaments played.

And even if he would be drafted in extremis, he seems with his total of +1 too far from the provisional leader, Keith Mitchell (-9) and his runner-up Collin Morikawa (-8), to be able to play the spoilsport.< /p>

But if there's a positive lesson to be learned, it's that his body held its own on the demanding Riviera Country Club course. In particular his right leg bruised by numerous fractures, after the serious road accident which occurred two years earlier, on a road in Los Angeles, not far from Pacific Palisades, where this event of the North American circuit (PGA) is organized. 'he sponsors but has never won.

Thursday after 18 holes, he had done everything to ensure that his recovery was optimal, with “ice and non-stop treatment, all night long”.

“Today, it was not my body that embarrassed me, I just putted badly”, he breathed out of spite, at the end of this second round indeed very complicated, finished with a score of 74, three strokes above par, and which made it slip out of the limit of the cut set at 0.

Starting in the last nine holes with, like the day before, world No.2 Rory McIlroy and his friend Justin Thomas, Woods first committed two consecutive bogeys at N.12 and N.13, which brought him down to 0 .

But he knew how to react immediately by placing his first birdie of the day at N.14. Then a second at N.17, where the day before, he had finished very strong, with three successful birdies at the last three holes. This time, he didn't go far at N.16 and N.18, where he also has his ease.

The second part of the course hardly gave him the opportunity to shine. He even finished badly, conceding three more bogeys on his last four holes at N.6, N.8 and N.9. On the latter, his ball rolled on the ledge before coming out, otherwise he would have ensured the par and certainly his continuation in the tournament.

“I probably should have finished better, with five or six shots that weren't that difficult. I could also have had a great start and I didn't. And then halfway through, I could have turned the situation around a bit and I didn't do it either,” he summed up.