Tiger Woods set to compete at Masters after being included on interview schedule

Phil Casey, PA Golf Correspondent

Five-time winner Tiger Woods is set to compete in next week’s Masters after he was included on the pre-tournament interview schedule.

Woods has made it clear that his competitive career will now be limited to a handful of events a year, a legacy of the car crash in February 2021 which left the 15-time major champion fearing his right leg would have to be amputated.

The 47-year-old will prioritise the majors and tournaments with which he has a personal connection, with his sole competitive appearance before arriving at Augusta National coming in February’s Genesis Invitational, which benefits his foundation.

Woods played just nine rounds in top-level competition in 2022, finishing 47th in the Masters, withdrawing after a third round of 79 in the US PGA Championship and then missing the cut in the 150th Open Championship at St Andrews.

Cameron Smith is the only LIV Golf League player included on the interview schedule courtesy of his victory at St Andrews before joining the Saudi-funded circuit.

A group representing victims’ families and survivors of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the United States had pledged to protest at Augusta due to eligible LIV players, including former champions Phil Mickelson, Sergio Garcia and Dustin Johnson, being invited to compete.

However, 9/11 Families United announced on Friday that they would instead hold a press conference in Atlanta on Tuesday to discuss what they described as Augusta’s decision “to embrace the American golfers who have partnered with the (Saudi) Kingdom over the last year to help ‘sportswash’ its horrific record”.