Tiger Woods has confirmed that he will return to competitive golf at next month’s Masters at Augusta.
The world number one has been away from the game for several months after seeking therapy to deal with problems in his private life and for some time now he has not confirmed when he would be back on the course.
However, the four-time Augusta winner was always expected to be back in time for the year’s first major and he has now confirmed that he will be taking part. However, surprisingly he will not be entering in the localised Tavistock Cup or the pre-Masters Arnold Palmer Invitational beforehand.
Woods released a statement on Tuesday which read: "The Masters is where I won my first major and I view this tournament with great respect. 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, even though it's been a while since I last played.
"I have undergone almost two months of in-patient therapy and I am continuing my treatment. Although I'm returning to competition, I still have a lot of work to do in my personal life.
"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’ agent Mark Steinberg has since also confirmed that the 14-time major winning American will be returning to hunt the green jacket.