Disgraced Woods announces comeback on Masters stage

The countdown to Tiger Woods's return to golf began when he announced he is to start his comeback in the US Masters at Augusta.

Golf's No 1 has decided not to have a warm-up event, but to start facing the world again at the opening major of the season on April 8-11.

When Woods tees off it will be 144 days since he last competed, 132 days since the car crash outside his home which sent him into hiding as a shocking sex scandal hit the headlines and destroyed his image – and just 25 days since he said he might not play this year.

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In a statement released yesterday afternoon, the 34-year-old father-of-two, who is reported to be living apart from his Swedish wife Elin, said: "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."

Augusta National chairman Billy Payne said in a separate statement: "We support Tiger's decision to return to competitive golf beginning at this year's Masters tournament.

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"Additionally, we support and encourage his stated commitment to continue the significant work required to rebuild his personal and professional life."

Woods last played on November 15, winning the Australian Masters in Melbourne and taking his total of professional victories to 92.

Twelve days later, his life went into meltdown after the early-hours accident outside his Florida mansion in which he hit a fire hydrant and a tree.

A string of affairs came to light in the days and weeks that followed and eventually Woods admitted on his website to "transgressions" and then used the same forum to announce he was taking an indefinite break from the game to try to save his marriage.

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Some of his sponsors have either dropped or distanced themselves from him since then and it was not until February 19 that he finally made a public appearance, issuing a 13-minute guilt-ridden, apology-laden address to family and friends at the headquarters of the PGA Tour.

Making the first major of the season – an event Woods has won four times – his first tournament back will not please everybody because of the massive focus on him that cannot be avoided.

World No 2 Steve Stricker said at the weekend: "Whenever he comes back it's going to draw a lot of attention to that tournament. I don't know if Augusta would like that to happen – to turn it into 'Tiger's Comeback Tournament' instead of the Masters tournament, itself."

The bookmakers have already installed Woods as 4-1 favourite for the Masters.

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