Organisers of July’s Open championship at St Andrews are in no doubt Tiger Woods will be present to try to become the first player ever to win three titles there.
The world number one, triumphant at the Home of Golf by eight shots in 2000 and by five in 2005, returned at The Masters three weeks ago after five months out because of a sex scandal.
Delighted by the reaction of the vast majority of fans at Augusta, Woods plays again in North Carolina this week and has already committed himself to next week’s Players Championship in Florida and June’s US Open at Pebble Beach.
He has not entered for The Open, but Royal and Ancient chief executive Peter Dawson said today: “Entries close on May 27 and in a normal year he would not have entered yet.
“I am absolutely certain he will be with us.”
Security arrangements for Woods are to be discussed with the police, as is always the case, and Dawson admitted he was glad Augusta National and not the R&A were “guinea pigs” in staging the player’s comeback.
“We will be watching what happens with Tiger and discussing the situation with the police,” he added. “We always act on their advice.”