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Tiger Woods - Source: Reuters -
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Scandal-hit Tiger Woods ended months of intense speculation by announcing on Wednesday he would return to competition at next month's US Masters, a decision warmly welcomed by the golfing world.
Woods, the greatest golfer of his generation, has been in self-imposed exile since his private life spectacularly unravelled in November amid multiple allegations of extra-marital affairs.
The American world number one has not competed since winning the Australian Masters on November 15 and the 34-year-old will make his comeback for the first major of the year at one of his favourite venues where he has already triumphed four times.
"We support Tiger's decision to return to competitive golf beginning at this year's Masters tournament," Billy Payne, chairman of Augusta National Golf Club and the Masters, said in a statement.
"Additionally, we support and encourage his stated commitment to continue the significant work required to rebuild his personal and professional life."
PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem added: "We were pleased to learn that Tiger Woods will be playing the Masters in a few weeks.
"He has invested a lot of time taking steps, both in his personal and professional life, in order to prepare for his return."
Sponsors and organisers have been counting the days before the world number one's return as the absence of Woods from events where he usually plays has generally driven down television ratings by 50 percent.
Wide speculation
It had been widely speculated Woods would play in the made-for-television Tavistock Cup next week in Orlando before returning to the Tour at the Arnold Palmer Invitational where he is a six-times champion.
Instead, the 14-times major winner has opted to rejoin the US circuit at Augusta National where media numbers and the allocation of tickets for spectators are tightly controlled.
"The Masters is where I won my first major and I view this tournament with great respect," said Woods, who clinched the first of his four green jackets at Augusta National in 1997.
"After a long and necessary time away from the game, I feel like I'm ready to start my season at Augusta.
"The major championships have always been a special focus in my career and, as a professional, I think Augusta is where I need to be."
Mark O'Meara, the 1998 Masters champion and a long-time mentor to Woods, told the Golf Channel: "Augusta is the perfect venue for him to do that, he has had such great success there.
"It has been a very difficult time in Tiger's life and his family's life and maybe the better place for him to be is out on a golf course, that is what he loves to do."
Woods has long targeted the record 18 majors won by his childhood idol Jack Nicklaus, the only player ahead of him in the all-time standings.
The Masters draws the highest television ratings among all four majors and the return there of Woods is likely to be one of the biggest sports stories of the year.
Asked whether any extra contingency plans would be made for the return of Woods, a tournament official told Reuters: "We've recently learned of this ourselves so I'll be better equipped to answer those specifics some time soon."
