Tiger Woods returning for Masters
Tiger Woods will return to tournament golf at the Masters in early April, the golfer said Tuesday.
Woods has been away from the game since a Nov. 27 crash outside his Florida home led to revelations of his marital infidelity. The world's No. 1 golfer hasn't played competitively since Nov. 15, when he won the Australian Masters in Melbourne for his 82nd career victory.
Woods is a four-time winner of the Masters, considered golf's most prestigious tournament. He captured his first green jacket in 1997, and won most recently in 2005.
With 10 additional major tournament titles to his name, Woods needs four more to match the record of 18 held by Jack Nicklaus. Woods, 34, has said throughout his career that exceeding that mark is his primary goal.
Still the favourite
Despite his recent woes, Tiger Woods is still favoured to win the Masters.
British bookmaking operation William Hill installed Woods as an early 4-1 favourite. Phil Mickelson is second at 6-1, and Padraig Harrington is third at 16-1.
William Hill also listed Woods as 1-20 that he will make the cut at Augusta National.
"All the major courses are Tiger's favourites, so despite a terrible beginning, we think that 2010 will end up being terrific for Tiger," William Hill spokesman Rupert Adams said in a statement.
"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," Woods said in a statement.
"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."
the Masters tournament begins April 8.
Self-imposed exile
Woods's trouble began in the early hours of Nov. 27, when he crashed his Cadillac Escalade into a tree outside his home in Windermere, Fla. The incident set off stunning revelations that the married father of two young children had cheated on his wife, Elin Nordegren, with multiple women.
Woods emerged from self-imposed exile on Feb. 19, issuing a statement in front of cameras and a small, handpicked audience at the clubhouse of the TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. Before indicating he wasn't sure when he'd return to golf, Woods said he was "deeply sorry for my irresponsible and selfish behaviour."
Woods, who lost endorsement deals with Gatorade, AT&T and Accenture in the wake of the sex scandal, said in Tuesday's statement that he's taken steps to change his private life.
"I have undergone almost two months of inpatient therapy and I am continuing my treatment," said Woods, who still has lucrative deals with Nike and Electronic Arts Inc. "Although I'm returning to competition, I still have a lot of work to do in my personal life."
With files from The Associated Press