Tucson, February 19: When Tiger Woods at last fronts up to the world in his carefully choreographed television statement today he is widely expected to announce that he will make his competitive return to golf at next month’s Bay Hill Invitational in Florida.
Arnold Palmer, the tournament’s organiser, will be present at the rigidly controlled gathering of “friends, colleagues and close assistants” at the PGA Tour’s headquarters in Jacksonville, where the world No 1 will break his three-month silence to apologise for his infidelities and to talk about his plans to end his “indefinite break” from the professional fairways.
It is believed his first playing appearance in front of paying spectators will actually come at the two-day Tavistock Cup – an exhibition match held very close to his Isleworth home – which begins on 22 March. Then, two days after that finishes, he will tee it up at nearby Bay Hill. This will act as his prep event for the Masters, the first major of the season, which takes place a fortnight later.
–Agencies