"I don't want him on his feet" - Tiger Woods receives message from Joe LaCava at Genesis
The Genesis Invitational was the first tournament played by Tiger Woods in 2023. Woods' caddie Joe LaCava texted him on February 17 saying that he needs 10 extra minutes for chipping and 10 extra minutes for putting.
The 15-time champion presevered through an arduous recovery process for the leg injuries he suffered due to an accident that he met with in February 2021. His long awaited comeback has been gratifying for most of his fans and critics, as he has had to hit pause in his golfing career to recover.
Tiger Woods' caddie expected a 'rusty' performance
Joe LaCava was not counting on Tiger Woods to be at his best at the Genesis Invitational. His performance on February 17, which saw him missing a green in regulation 15 times, wasn't satisfactory. LaCava had texted him regarding his game after following a poorly played round.
“You can’t keep him on his feet for that long, right?” said LaCava. He continued on saying, “I don’t want him on his feet for an hour and a half before he even plays, I get it. He needs to save himself for the round. But he’s trying so hard to get healthy that he hasn’t had enough attention to his short game.
"I said to him, ‘You’ve played two competitive rounds since May at the PGA.’ Those were at St. Andrews. I’m not beating him up. I’d expect him to be rusty but now that we’re here we’ve got to get after it.”
The golfing legend took his caddie's words seriously and hit the green to practice. The player noted that he and his caddie had not worked together prior to the tournament, as they typically do. The 68-year-old has been by the golfer's side since 2011.
LaCava claimed that he did not believe the player's swings would be delivered at impressive speeds.
“He told me about it. I’m not calling him a liar but my thought was I’ll believe it when I see it,” said the caddie when enquired about Woods' swings.
The golfer did seemingly well at the Genesis Invitational, considering his physical condition. He maintained his modesty whilst referring to his performances in the tournament, which was formerly known as the Los Angeles Open. The Riviera Country Club's golf course, where this tournament is conducted annually, is where he made his debut at a pro event at the age of 16 in 1992.
"It was progress, but obviously I didn’t win," Tiger Woods said. "My streak continues here at Riv."
Tiger Woods after his first tournament in 2023 🎤 https://t.co/IP6V2Mrj7b
Right at the flagstick @TigerWoods ⛳️ https://t.co/0TpultQ1Gf
Tiger Woods finished the Genesis Invitational on Sunday at 1-under 283 by shooting a 2-over 73 in the final round.