Tiger Woods apologizes after handing Justin Thomas a tampon at the Genesis Invitational

By Jacob Lev and Issy Ronald, CNN

Fifteen-time major champion Tiger Woods apologized after handing fellow golfer Justin Thomas a tampon during the first round of the Genesis Invitational on Thursday.

Following Friday’s second round at the Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, California, Woods said he didn’t mean to offend anyone.

“It was supposed to be all fun and games and obviously it hasn’t turned out that way,” Woods told reporters.

“If I offended anybody, it was not the case, it was just friends having fun. As I said, if I offended anybody in any way, shape or form, I’m sorry. It was not intended to be that way. It was just we play pranks on one another all the time and virally I think this did not come across that way, but between us it was — it’s different.”

Woods handed Thomas a tampon after outdriving his playing partner on the ninth hole. Thomas immediately discarded the tampon before the two men laughed and hugged as they walked off the tee.

Some on social media said the incident had sexist overtones, while England women’s soccer manager Sarina Wiegman told reporters Saturday: “It is very inappropriate, and I think he has realized that.”

“If tiger spent three months a year bleeding and coping with period pain, they’d make a whole-ass documentary about how champions overcome insurmountable obstacles,” Alex McDaniel, managing editor of USA Today’s For The Win, tweeted on Friday.

Woods was one-over-par after two rounds and made the cut.

After shooting a three-over 74, Woods criticized his play on Friday, saying “this was the highest score I could have shot today.”

After suffering serious leg injuries in a car accident two years ago, Woods has made sporadic competitive appearances as he battles with a grueling recovery process.

Playing at the Genesis Invitational this week marks his first official tournament start since The Open Championship in July and his first non-major PGA Tour event since the ZOZO Championship in October 2020.

The Genesis Invitational runs through Sunday.

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