Why did Tiger Woods hand a tampon to Justin Thomas at the Genesis Invitational?
Tiger Woods has returned to competition at the Genesis Invitational, and a prank he played on his friend Justin Thomas did not go over well with golf fans.
Tiger Woods is back on the green competing at the Genesis Invitational being held this weekend at the Riviera Golf Course. The Genesis Open started on Thursday, Feb. 16, and will wrap up on Sunday, Feb. 19. It’s Woods’ first tournament since he played at The Open Championship in July of last year.
The golf legend outdrove former world number one Justin Thomas on the ninth hole, after which the 47-year-old discreetly handed his friend a tampon, which Thomas then threw to 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
Outdriving Thomas was likely significant to Woods, who has been battling injuries he suffered in a motor vehicle crash in 2021.
READ ALSO:
- Jupiter Island: The secret jewel of golf’s top players
- Who is Joel Dahmen? Golf’s average man
- The women of ‘Full Swing’
- Who is Joel Dahmen’s caddie from ‘Full Swing’?
Tiger faces the backlash
Woods’ prank did not go over well with viewers, who took to social media to express their disapproval. Handing Thomas a tampon after outplaying him on the ninth tee seemed to convey the message that his friend was ‘playing like a woman’. Many tweets communicated that Woods’ actions were childish, and that they perpetuated a misogynistic idea that implies women are weak.
Positioning menstruation as weakness is the patriarchy and this is a puerile, stale joke. Let’s put the menstrual cramp machine on Tiger Woods so he can have some more data about menstruation. https://t.co/0tuZdYzjLZ
— Jennifer Gunter (@DrJenGunter) February 17, 2023
Tiger Woods' humor has always been slightly lame, dumb-jock type of stuff, but becoming a prop comic? That's a new low.
— Shane Ryan (@ShaneRyanHere) February 17, 2023
Did Tiger Woods go to the store... and buy a box of tampons? And tuck one into his golf bag? For this "hilarious" stunt? Or did he swipe it off his teenage daughter? So many questions. So little laughter.
— Alison Hall (@AlisonReporting) February 17, 2023
The other end of the spectrum
And, as it usually is in social media, there are other users who hold the opposite view regarding the incident. They said that those who were offended by the prank did not have a sense of humor.
Is there anyone that’s offended by the joke Tiger Woods pulled on Justin Thomas? Please raise your hands so I can personally laugh in your face.
— Gary Sheffield Jr. (@GarysheffieldJr) February 17, 2023
Proving the woke sports media has no sense of humor at all, Tiger Woods is being attacked for giving Justin Thomas a tampon after outdriving him on 9. For the record, this is fucking hysterical by Tiger, well played. Makes me like him way more: https://t.co/FmStuPh089
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) February 17, 2023