Tiger Woods will make his competitive return next week at Congressional Country Club in his Quicken Loans National in Bethesda, Md.
"After a lot of therapy I have recovered well and will be supporting my foundation next week at the Quicken Loans National," Woods said in a posting on his Facebook page. "I've just started to hit full shots but it's time to take the next step. I will be a bit rusty but I want to play myself back into competitive shape. Excited for the challenge ahead."
Woods has been out of action since undergoing microdiscectomy on March 31 to relieve back pain caused by a pinched nerve, suggesting he would make a return sometime this summer. Next week's event will begin just shy of three months after the procedure.
This start will be Woods' fourth PGA Tour of the season and first since the WGC-Cadillac Championship in March. The comeback bid indicates Woods is likely a go for the Open Championship next month at Royal Liverpool (where he won in 2006) and the PGA Championship at Valhalla in Kentucky (where he won in 2000).
The comeback is sooner than many anticipated, with the expectation that Woods might return for the Greenbrier Classic the following week. Woods contacted Greenbrier owner Jim Justice on Friday to say he would not be playing in the West Virginia event. Woods played at Greenbrier in 2012, missing the cut at the Old White TPC. He intended to play a year ago as well, but an injury suffered at the U.S. Open at Merion kept him on the sidelines under the Open Championship last July at Muirfield.
Woods has missed the AT&T National three times in the seven previous years it has been played due to injury -- in 2008, '11 and last year.
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