Tiger Woods would love to RETIRE from golf but must play on to support his brand – including new ‘Sun Day Red’ clothing line – after 47-year-old was carted off the course at his long-awaited PGA Tour return

Tiger Woods wants to retire from golf, but the icon must keep playing and showing up to support his brand and new ‘Sun Day Red’ clothing line.

Woods returned to the PGA Tour this week and lasted just 24 holes. He withdrew from the Genesis Invitational on Friday with flu-like symptoms and dehydration after hitting his tee shot on the seventh hole at Riviera.

He was one over par for the round – two over for the tournament – ​​and ended up just outside the cut when he asked for a cart and was wheeled off the course by a rules official. He had been walking slowly and looked as if he had no energy left as he played the front nine.

Woods had not played an official event since the Masters last April and withdrew in the middle of the rain-delayed third round. He played the unofficial Hero World Challenge in December against a 20-man field with no cut, and the 36-hole PNC Championship with his son Charlie.

Woods has now played six official tournaments since returning from a February 2021 car accident in Los Angeles that shattered bones in his right leg. He has withdrawn from three of them: the 2022 PGA Championship after 54 holes, the 2023 Masters when he did not return to complete the third round on Sunday morning.

Woods withdrew from the Genesis Invitational on Friday with flu-like symptoms and dehydration

Woods had said he hoped to play one tournament a month during the main season. He had said Thursday that he was experiencing back spasms, which led to his shank on the final hole as he started the tournament with a 72.

In addition to playing, Woods is the tournament host of the Genesis Invitational run by his TGR foundation.

His week in Los Angeles started with a lot of hype: the launch of his new clothing line with TaylorMade Golf and his first PGA Tour start of the year.

But a source has told DailyMail.com that Woods wants to retire from golf but continues to play and make appearances to support his brand.

They said, ‘If Tiger could retire, he would.

“His body is beat up, but for his brand he still has to keep up appearances and try.

‘After his car accident he thought this was it. There was almost an amputation involved, so to be back at all is something of a miracle.

‘Now with this recent illness that forced him to leave the last tournament, it’s a shame, but he will be back because he has to support his new brand Sun Day Red and everything else in his world.

“He’ll be back, even though he would like nothing more than to retire.”

Woods launched his new ‘Sun Day Red’ clothing line with TaylorMade Golf in LA this week

Woods left Riviera about two hours after he withdrew, sitting in the front seat of a red SUV as it took off.

Rob McNamara, his longtime associate and vice president of TGR Ventures, said Woods felt flu symptoms Thursday evening that worsened when he woke up.

“He had a little fever and felt better during the warm-up, but when he came out and was walking and playing, he started feeling dizzy,” McNamara told a PGA Tour official.

“Ultimately the doctors say he may have some sort of flu and he’s dehydrated. He has been treated with an IV bag and is doing much, much better, and will be released here on his own soon.”

‘He clearly wasn’t himself, he just didn’t look good. I saw that before the round started,” said Gary Woodland, who played in the same group with Woods along with Justin Thomas.

“Obviously everything is better with him there and for him for his first tournament back and he couldn’t come out and finish the way he wanted, which sucks for all of us.”

Woodland said he noticed Woods was quieter than usual, even though they were all trying to make sure they were among the top 50 to make the cut.

‘I feel bad for him. He wasn’t right,” Woodland said. “He definitely tried to fight through it and I hope he’s doing well.”