Woods to return next week at Accenture Match Play
By PGATOUR.COM Staff
The speculation is over. Tiger Woods finally has set the date -- he will return to the PGA TOUR next week to play the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship in Marana, Ariz., just outside Tucson.
"I'm now ready to play again," Woods said in making the announcement on his Web site, tigerwoods.com.
The five-day tournament, which begins Wednesday, Feb. 25, will be Tiger's first tournament since winning the U.S. Open last June at Torrey Pines. It will be 254 days in between the time Tiger won the U.S. Open in a Monday playoff over Rocco Mediate and the time he strikes his first tee shot Wednesday.
"We received confirmation today that Tiger Woods has committed to play in next week's Accenture Match Play Championship in Tucson, Ariz." PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem said Thursday afternoon. "We are delighted that Tiger is returning to competition and look forward to watching him compete next week."
Woods had season-ending surgery to reconstruct the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee eight days after winning his 14th major championship. Woods also had stress fractures in his left tibia.
Since then, the primary variable in his return to competiton appeared to be the arrival of his second child. Woods' wife Elin gave birth to Charlie Axel on Feb. 8.
"Elin and our new son Charlie are doing great," Woods said on his Web site. "I've enjoyed my time at home with the family and appreciate everyone's support and kind wishes."
Woods' fellow pros were glad to hear that the world's top player was returning to the TOUR.
"With the economy as crappy as it is and all you hear is bad news, bad news, it's nice to finally get some good news," said Kenny Perry, who won three times last year, with two of those wins coming during Tiger's absence. " He'll bring a lot of excitement to our TOUR. He carries our TOUR and I'm glad to have him back. He's a good friend. I just think the world of him."
"Good. It's about time. I'm glad he's coming back. Good for him. We need him. Period. Our TOUR is cool, but it's really, really cool with him," U.S. Open runner-up Rocco Mediate said. "It's just a notch above. No disrespect. You can say what you want, but it's the truth. I've always believed that about him. He makes it what it is. We have, like I said, great players, Phillip, and everybody, they're all fine. But without him, it's not the same." (For more player reaction on Tiger's return, click here.)
Woods has won the Accenture Match Play Championship three times, including last year when he beat Stewart Cink 8 and 7 in the 36-hole championship match. Of his nine starts at the Accenture Match Play Championship, he has seven top 10s.
Unless someone withdraws before the field becomes final on Friday at 5 p.m., Woods will face Brendan Jones in the first round on Wednesday.
"We are thrilled Tiger Woods will be here to defend his title," said Accenture Match Play Championship Executive Director Wade Dunagan. "Tiger has been the dominant player in this tournament's history and in all of the World Golf Championships events. Combine Woods' return with our new venue at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, a field that includes some of the best young players the game has seen in quite some time and players who have taken the stage in Tiger's absence, and this has the makings of the most exciting event in this tournament's history."
Jones, who is ranked 64th in the world, played in his first Accenture Match Play Championship last year and lost to fellow Aussie Adam Scott 2 and 1 in the first round.
Woods also won the Accenture Match Play Championship in 2003 and '04 and was the runner-up to Darren Clarke in 2000. Woods has a 31-6 record in the competition and he has won 23 of his last 26 matches.
Woods won his first three events last year, making it five straight dating back to his run to the 2007 FedExCup championship. Woods did not finish lower than fifth in six starts last season -- which was also interrupted by April 15 arthroscopic surgery on the same knee.
Woods will be under even greater scrutiny when he returns at the Accenture Match Play, a tournament that is unpredictable even with two good legs. The eight-month break is the longest he has ever gone without playing, and there are questions of rust and how much he has modified his swing after the knee surgery.
Even so, swing coach Hank Haney said last month that Woods would not return until he thought he could win.
"He's not looking to just participate," Haney said last month.
Additional content from PGATOUR.COM wire services
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