Tiger Woods is officially BACK!
The former world No. 1 and arguably the greatest golfer of all time announced through social media today that he will make his tournament return from back surgery at his own tournament, the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas from November 30.
With 6.29 million followers on his Twitter account, the social media went into a meltdown at the news, delivered in a cheeky way: "Id like to thank the committee of 1 for picking myself and Daniel Berger to play in the #HeroWorldChallenge.''
The challenge has a 20-player field but only 18 of the spots were previously filled, leading to speculation over recent days that Woods, who handpicks the field, would attempt to play. He played in the tournament, which raises money for his charitable foundation, last year, but finished last.
Woods has not played tournament golf since February this year. In April, he had spinal fusion, the fourth surgery on his injured back.
But he has returned to practice recently at home in Florida and has posted various social media images of his recovery.
His future is less clear, but we will all learn a little more in a few weeks time.
The 41-year-old won the last of his 14 major championships in 2008, the US Open at Torrey Pines, with his injuries already starting to pile up.
Since then he has also endured his public humiliation for cheating on his wife, and the break of his marriage. Last week he pleaded guilty to a charge of driving under the influence after he was found at the wheel of his SUV asleep beside the road in May with traces of the active ingredient for marijuana, two painkillers — Vicodin and Dilaudid — the sleep drug Ambien and the anti-anxiety drug Xanax in his system, but no alcohol.
He has been ordered into a diversion program having previously completed a drug rehabilitation program.
He has not won a golf tournament since 2013 and his world ranking has dipped to 1180th.