PONTE VEDRA BEACH, April 22 – Tiger Woods announced Wednesday that will compete in next month's Players Championship and in July's PGA National, an event he once hosted coming two weeks before the British Open.World number one Woods shared fourth at the Masters earlier this month in his return to golf after a five-month absence in the wake of a sex scandal and said on his website that he will reveal more of his schedule in coming weeks.
Filling in his schedule far earlier than normal, Woods is now set for four events, the first of which will come next week when he competes at the 6.5 million-dollar Quail Hollow Championship at Charlotte, North Carolina.
The following week, Woods will take part in the 9.5 million-dollar US PGA Players Championship here at the TPC Sawgrass course.
"This is our event and it always attracts one of the best fields of the year," Woods said in a statement on his website. "Its a tournament everybody wants to win."
Woods has entered the US Open, the year’s second major tournament, set for June 17-20 at Pebble Beach, the California coastal course where Woods breezed to victory in the 2000 US Open, beginning a "Tiger Slam" run of four major titles in a row.
Woods later announced he would defend his title at the 6.2 million-dollar National, an event he hosted the past three years at suburban Washington.
Woods was stripped of his host role at the National by sponsor AT&T, which dropped an endorsement deal with Woods in the wake of the sex scandal in which more than a dozen women claimed affairs with the married father of two.
Admitting adultery with multiple mistresses, Woods made a public apology in February and announced his comeback plans in March.
The National comes two weeks before the British Open at St. Andrews, a course upon which Woods won the British Open in 2000 and 2005.
"Im really looking forward to defending my title at the AT&T National," Woods said. "Philly is a great sports town, and Im excited to play at Aronimink Golf Club."
Woods has yet to commit to the British Open and while the National might indicate he will play at St. Andrews, the event also contributes money for the Tiger Woods Foundation.
The National was moved to suburban Philadelphia this year so Congressional Country Club could prepare for the 2011 US Open.
While Woods’ schedule looks much the same as it has in previous years, he is making a change in announcing his plans early. In the past, Woods had waited until the prior Friday deadline day before revealing the events he would enter.
"We’re thrilled to add Tiger Woods to the Players Championship field and really appreciate the fact he gave us advance notice," tournament executive director Jay Monahan said in a statement.
"This is a huge boost for what was already shaping up to be an incredible week. The addition of the world’s No. 1 player will only enhance the Players and we look forward to welcoming Tiger and what we hope will be record crowds."
Woods shared eighth at last year’s Players, his best finish since winning the event in 2001.
Masters winner Phil Mickelson, ranked second in the world, announced last week that he would play in the Players event.
Gossip website TMZ reported that Woods was spotted at Monday’s concert by Nickelback at an arena in Orlando while RadarOnline reported his wife Elin and their children were seen boarding a plane to Stockholm for a vacation.
Woods went to an Orlando bar with friends shortly after his wife flew off, according to RadarOnline.
