March 21st, 2010 by Phil Reich PGA Golf Art

Ending months of rumor, innuendo and speculation, Tiger Woods today announced, in a statement posted on his Web site, that he will return to golf at The Masters. The Masters takes place April 8-11.

“The Masters is where I won my first major, and I view this tournament with great respect,” Woods is quoted in the post on tigerwoods.com. “After a long and necessary time away from the game, I feel like I’m ready to start my season at Augusta.”

Woods’ return had recently been rumored for the Tavistock Cup early next week, the Arnold Palmer Invitational later next week, and The Masters. The Masters is the winner.

“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 awhile since I last played,” Woods said.

Woods’ last tournament was the Australian Masters in mid-November, which he won. Less than two weeks later, Woods’ now-infamous one-car accident occurred outside his home. And shortly after that, the alleged “Tiger mistresses” started appearing in the pages of tabloids and gossip magazines, launching the Tiger Woods scandals.

While Woods will have missed nearly four months of tournament time by the time of The Masters, he has skipped only three PGA Tour events he normally plays: The Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines; the Accenture Match Play Championship; and the CA Championship. He always plays the Arnold Palmer Invitational, too, but won’t this year.

In his statement, Woods addressed his therapy and the decision about the timing of his return:

“I have undergone almost two months of inpatient 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. 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.”

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It’s Official: Tiger Woods Back at The Masters originally appeared on About.com Golf on Tuesday, March 16th, 2010 at 10:58:10.

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