Tiger Woods plans to return and will play in the Masters.
Woods, who hasn’t played competitively since winning the Australian Masters last November, will tee it up April 8 at Augusta National for the first major of the year, according to a statement on his Web site.
“The Masters is where I won my first major, and I view this tournament with great respect,” Woods said in a statement. “After a long and necessary time away from the game, I feel like I’m ready to start my season at Augusta.”
Woods crashed his car the morning after Thanksgiving and took an indefinite leave from golf. He publicly apologized Feb. 19, but said he wasn’t sure when he will return to the course,
The biggest headlines centered not on his accident, though, but a series of alleged extramarital affairs as Woods was linked to numerous women who came forward in the succeeding months.
Woods’ strange odyssey began Nov. 27, when he was involved in a single-car accident outside his Isleworth home, an exclusive gated community near Orlando. He was ultimately fined $164 for careless driving but reports of driving under the influence and domestic violence surfaced in tabloid and gossip commentary.
Woods flatly denied any domestic issues when he addressed the public in a prepared televised speech from the clubhouse of TPC Sawgrass, also the headquarters of the PGA Tour. He also admitted to being in a 45-day in-patient rehab program but he did not specify what kind.
Recent documents released by the Florida Highway Patrol indicate the ambulance on the scene that initially took Woods to the hospital would not allow his wife Elin to ride with her husband, citing domestic violence concerns. The reports also state the FHP requested blood test results but the hospital refused and required a warrant, which was never issued due to lack of probable cause.
Following his appearance in February, Woods returned to in-patient therapy but returned a week later and began practicing near his home with swing coach Hank Haney. Speculation began to center on a pair of tournaments this month in the Orlando area, the Tavistock Cup and the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill, but Woods indicated he will not be playing in either event.
“When I finally got into a position to think about competitive golf again, it became apparent to me that the Masters would be the earliest I could play,” Woods said. “I called both Joe Lewis and Arnold Palmer and expressed my regrets for not attending the Tavistock Cup and the Arnold Palmer Invitational. I again want to thank them both for their support and their understanding. Those are fantastic tournaments, and I look forward to competing in them again.”
Woods is a four-time winner of the Masters and the title holder of 14 majors. His last victory in a major came at the 2008 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines in San Diego. Woods then took eight months off to recover from knee surgery.
The 2009 PGA Tour player of the year and current No. 1 ranked player on the Official World Golf Ranking, Woods won six times last year and captured the Fed Ex Cup.
Mike Scarr is the editor of Golflink.com. He can be reached at golflinkeditor@demandmedia.com.
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Good luck to him. I would never wish his personal situation on anyone. Regardless of what people think about the why it happened, the fact remains that there are people involved and i’m glad to see that he’s handling his business…and doing that without being public about it. Albeit as best he can.
I am soooooo delighted that Tiger is playing again!!! Wonderful news for the world of golf!!!! Hang in there Tiger…All of us in VT are rooting for you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!