Noted Golf Enthusiast Tiger Woods Will Play WGC-Bridgestone Invitational Aug. 4

LeBron James A Fan Of Everyone And Everything

Tiger Woods Will Play In Australian Open, According To Report

The Herald-Sun newspaper says Tiger Woods will sign to play the Australian Open at The Lakes Golf Club from November 10-13, a move that could be a precursor to Woods playing in the Presidents Cup.

Woods will headline a field that already includes World No. 7 Dustin Johnson, No. 8 Jason Day and No. 13 Bubba Watson (No.13) as well as defending champion Geoff Ogilvy and Presidents Cup captains Greg Norman and Fred Couples.

Woods' decision to play the Open comes days after announcing he would play in this week's WGC Bridgestone Invitational and next week's PGA Championship. This will be Woods' first tournament play since he withdrew midway through the first round of The Players Championship in May.

The decision to play would have an extremely large affect on whether or not Tiger could qualify for the Presidents Cup:

Couples indicated in June that he wanted his two captain's selections to play in Sydney and it's highly unlikely Woods would venture to Australia on a one-week jaunt with the Presidents Cup just a week later.

Couples has made no guarantees, but has said a fit Woods would be an almost certain starter to take on the International team at the biennial event.

Check out SB Nation's golf hub as well as its golf blog, Waggle Room.

Tiger Woods Confirms Play In WGC-Bridgestone Invitational Via Twitter

Tiger Woods is coming back to the PGA next week to play in the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, according to a tweet from the man himself:

Two things: first, it's hilarious that he got the name wrong of the first tournament in which he's competing in months. Hilarious. For a guy who's had such a carefully crafted public image for so long, and who's desperately trying to gain back some sponsors, this is an A-plus slip-up, even though it's completely excusable considering how close he was.

Second, it'll be good to have Tiger back. Rory McIlroy's magical run at the U.S. Open was enough to briefly capture the golf world's imagination, but once he was out of the running of the British Open, folks went right back to not giving a damn about golf. Next week, that will change.

Tiger Woods Still Not Hitting Golf Balls, According To Swing Coach

Tiger Woods' swing coach, Sean Foley, says that Woods still is not hitting golf balls, and that he doesn't know when Woods will begin playing again.

Steve Elling on CBSSports.com reported late Tuesday that Woods’ new swing coach, Sean Foley, sent him an email stating that he and his star pupil have not been working together.

"We have not hit any balls," Foley wrote. "And I have no idea what his plans are as far as when he plays again. It’s up to the doctors."

Woods' return from knee and Achilles injuries seems to be dragging on forever, and that might continue, particularly given the scarcity of events for him to play in as the summer ends. It now looks unlikely that he'll play in the WGC Bridgestone Invitational in Akron next week, and if he isn't yet hitting, I would wonder about his return to play in the NB3 Challenge at the end of August, as well.

Check out SB Nation's golf hub as well as its golf blog, Waggle Room.

Tiger Woods May Return To PGA With Bridgestone Invitational Next Week

Rumors have been gathering that Tiger Woods may make his return to the PGA Tour at this year's WGC Bridgestone Invitational. The tournament runs from August 3rd through the 7th at Akron, Ohio's Firestone Country Club.

Woods -- who recently dropped out of the world's top twenty rankings for the first time since January 1997 -- has until July 29th, 5:00 p.m. ET to announce whether or not he will participate in the event. In past years the 35-year old has dominated the Bridgestone Invitational, winning seven of its 12 showings, including a 2000 victory in which Woods finished at with a course record, 21-under par.

Should he return, the 14-time major winner will be without a caddie after firing longtime partner Steve Williams following May's AT&T National. Brett Waldman -- the former caddie of Camilo Villegas -- has been rumored as a potential replacement. Waldman left Villegas in late 2010 to try "to realize a dream" and play on the PGA Tour.

Follow along with this StoryStream for updates. And for more on the PGA Tour, check in with SB Nation's golf blog, Waggle Room.

Tiger Woods Will Play In Rescheduled NB3 Challenge August 31

Tiger Woods' big Monday announcement came and went without him ever making one. Perhaps it was to make an announcement about his next tournament. If so, he likely would have been discussing Stanford teammate Notah Begay III‘s NB3 Challenge, which Woods will play in August 31.

On Thursday, while Toms Lewis and Bjorn were making the world smile at Sandwich, Tiger was making Begay III happy by saying he will compete in the NB3 Challenge on August 31. That date is wedged between the first two events of the PGA Tour’s FedExCup Playoffs.

The event was originally scheduled for July 5th. However, when Woods pulled out due to injuries, it was postponed.

There was no official announcement regarding Woods return to PGA events, but it's an encouraging sign. The Challenge takes place the week before the PGA Championship.

Follow along with this StoryStream for updates. And for more on the PGA Tour, check in with SB Nation's golf blog, Waggle Room.

Tiger Woods Apparently Not Making Golf Channel Announcement After All

On Monday, at 11 A.M. Eastern time, Tiger Woods was scheduled to hold some kind of press conference to make an announcement on the Golf Channel. This lead to rampant speculation across the internet and media world, with many predicting that Tiger was set to announce that he was done for the 2011 season. Except there's a catch, and that catch is that Tiger Woods isn't going to be making an announcement after all.

According to Tiger's agent Mark Steinberg, no such announcement is set to happen. The Golf Channel had a tweet about the announcement earlier, but it has since been deleted. Of course, this will likely lead to more speculation (Another doctor gave him a more optimistic opinion? He bought some magic fairy dust?), but the fact is that none of the media or general public really has any idea what this announcement, if it was ever a thing, was going to be about and how healthy Tiger is at this point in time. 

Maybe Woods and Steinberg will have a press conference to clear up their not press conference.

Follow along with this StoryStream for updates. And for more on the PGA Tour, check in with SB Nation's golf blog, Waggle Room.

Tiger Woods Making Mysterious Announcement Monday Morning

Sunday evening, the Golf Channel announced Tiger Woods would be stopping by to make an announcement the following morning at 11 am ET. Hopefully Woods will announce he's buying the Golf Channel and turning its Twitter account into another account of his own, which would mean fewer announcements about announcements.

Your guess is as good as ours, unless your guesses don't include "Maybe he's retiring!" and "Maybe he's going to play the British Open!" and "Maybe he's going to sit out the rest of the year!" We didn't actually exclaim any of that stuff.

Tune in to find out what's on the noted golf enthusiast's mind, as it's got to be of importance. Definitely assuming it has something to do with his injury one way or another, whether it turns out to be good news or bad news.

Tiger Woods Still Injured, Officially Withdraws From 2011 British Open

Tiger Woods has already missed most of the current PGA season with injuries, and on Tuesday, he announced he will sit out the 2011 British Open due to injury.

"Unfortunately, I've been advised that I should not play in the British Open," Woods said a press release on his website Tuesday. "As I stated at the AT&T National, I am only going to come back when I'm 100 percent ready. I do not want to risk further injury. That's different for me, but I'm being smarter this time. I'm very disappointed and want to express my regrets to the British Open fans."

He added that coming back too early at this year's Players' Championship is part of the reason he's being so cautious this time around. "In hindsight, I probably shouldn't have competed at THE PLAYERS, but it's a big event, and I wanted to be there to support the tour. I've got to learn from what I did there and do it right this time and not come back until I'm ready."

So, when will we see Tiger Woods again?

For now, it's too early to guess. But while some may see this news as a sign of weakness, Tiger added, "My best years are still ahead of me, and I'm very confident and optimistic about the future."

Tiger Woods Signs Endorsement Deal With Japanese Pain Cream Company

Tiger Woods Doubtful For British Open, Timetable For Return Remains Unclear

Tiger Woods has played just nine holes of competitive golf since the Masters, was forced to pull out of the Players Championship, did not play in the U.S. Open and now looks doubtful for the British Open on July 14-17. He did not rule out playing in the tournament he has won three times, but it is looking increasingly unlikely that his injured left knew and left Achilles' tendon will be healthy enough to tee off at Royal St. George's.

During a press conference for this week's AT&T National, Woods said he had not hit any golf balls since his injury. Woods initially hurt himself at the Masters.

"Probably in retrospect it was a borderline call whether I should have played the Players," Woods said at the press conference. "I pushed it too hard and hurt myself. Now this time around, it’s different. I’m setting no timetable."

Historically, Woods has done well at the British Open, although he's never won at Royal St. George's. In 2003, the last time the course hosted the Open Championship, Woods finished in a tie for fourth, two strokes behind winner Ben Curtis. Woods currently has 14 major championships, four short of Jack Nicklaus' all-time record.

Tiger Woods Will Not Play In AT&T National, Citing Injuries

Tiger Woods has been kept out of action in recent weeks due to leg injuries. The world's former No. 1 golfer had hoped to return for the AT&T Nationall on June 30th, but on Wednesday, he tweeted that he will not play in the event.

Doctor’s orders: sitting out the #attnational. I'll be in Philly to support the event. Feeling stronger every day, but not 100%.

Woods, a noted golf enthusiast, declined to participate in the U.S. Open for the same reason. Apparently two extra weeks, in his doctor's estimation, didn't give his injuries ample time to heal.

Woods has been out of action since the Players Championship on May 12th. The next PGA Tour event after the AT&T National is the John Deere Classic on July 10th. Woods has espoused hope that he will be able to be able to compete in the two remaining majors of 2011, and with the Open Championship coming on July 17th, it wouldn't be surprising to see Woods skip the Deere as well.

Follow along with this StoryStream for updates. And for more on the PGA Tour, check in with SB Nation's golf blog, Waggle Room.

Tiger Woods Withdrawal From U.S. Open Causes Ticket Prices To Fall

Tiger Woods Skipping 2011 U.S. Open, Hopes Injury Will Heal In Time For AT&T National

Tiger Woods announced via Twitter on Tuesday afternoon that he will not join the field at the 2011 U.S. Open. On his website, Woods elaborated on the nature of his injuries, and announced that he hopes to participate in the AT&T National.

"I am extremely disappointed that I won't be playing in the U.S. Open, but it's time for me to listen to my doctors and focus on the future," Woods said. "I was hopeful that I could play, but if I did, I risk further damage to my left leg. My knee and Achilles tendon are not fully healed. I hope to be ready for AT&T National, the next two majors and the rest of the year."

The AT&T National, which Woods won in 2009, will begin on July 3rd. Since the U.S. Open begins on June 19th, this will give the noted golf enthusiast approximately two extra weeks to recover from his leg injuries.

In his statement, Woods also stated that he hopes to compete in the 2011 PGA Tour's final two majors, the British Open (which begins July 17th) and the PGA Championship (August 14th.)

At this juncture, it's impossible to say exactly when Woods will be able to return to the course. He still hasn't won a PGA Tour event since November of 2009.

Stay with this StoryStream for the latest on Woods' injury and updates on his status. For everything golf, head over the SB Nation's Waggle Room.

U.S. Open 2011: Tiger Woods Withdraws From Major At Congressional

Tiger Woods, who had hoped to overcome his injuries and compete in the 2011 U.S. Open, announced Tuesday afternoon that he will not play at Congressional Country Club. Woods announced his decision via his Twitter account.

Not playing in US Open. Very disappointed. Short-term frustration for long-term gain.

Woods, a three-time winner of the U.S. Open and noted golf enthusiast, has not played since withdrawing from the Players Championship on May 12th. He had struck a hopeful tone in recent weeks, espousing hopes that his MCL injury would be given enough recovery time to allow him to play in the Open.

At this juncture, it's impossible to say exactly when Woods will be able to return to the course. He still hasn't won a PGA Tour event since November of 2009.

Stay with this StoryStream for the latest on Woods' injury and updates on his status. For everything golf, head over the SB Nation's Waggle Room.

Tiger Woods Still Planning On Playing In 2011 U.S. Open Despite Injuries

Tiger Woods has announced that he still plans to play in the 2011 U.S. Open from June 16-19, despite re-aggravating knee and achilles injuries during the 2011 Players Championship on May 6.  

"All my doctors said i should be ready by then," Woods said. "I should be good to go."

Woods said during a press conference at the AT&T National in Philadelphia that he is still resting his injuries, which caused him to withdraw from the Players Championship after nine holes. He has not been able to practice much while injured, but he plans on beginning strength training next week. He acknowledged the possibility that his recovery would not go smoothly, but reaffirmed his desire to play at Congressional.

"Yeah, there is, absolutely. But I'm not looking at it that way. I'm looking at it as, if I get the proper treatment, I'm going to play."

When asked about his long-term future with the injury, Woods said he is not thinking about that, though he did say he is "doubtful" to play in the Memorial Tournament from June 2-5.

"I'd much rather take it slow and see how it progresses on a week-to-week basis," Woods said.

Woods also admitted that he probably came back too quickly to play in the Players Championship, and that is something he regrets. However, Woods consistently insisted that the injury he suffered in 2008 that caused him to miss six months was much more concerning than this injury. This time, he says he just wants to be more cautious.

"That's why I want to shut it down, go on crutches and give it ample rest and ample healing time," Woods said.

Woods was six-over par through nine holes in his first round of the Players Championship, and was in visible pain at several points during the round. Woods originally suffered the injuries at the 2011 Masters, where he finished in a tie for fourth place after making a late charge on the final day. He has not won a major championship since the 2008 U.S. Open, when he overcame a knee injury to get the victory. On Monday, Woods slipped to 12th in the world rankings, outside the Top 10 for the first time since 1997.

When asked whether he hoped to be pain-free by June, Woods laughed and implied that he is never pain-free.

"I haven't been pain-free in a long time," he said. "Thank god there's Ibuprofen."

Tiger Woods Commits To THE PLAYERS Next Weekend

On Wednesday, Tiger Woods, who is recovering from both knee and Achilles injuries, vowed he'd be ready for the 2011 U.S. Open in June. On Friday, he took a big step in that direction when he committed to THE PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass, next weekend's PGA event (May 12-15). 

Tiger made the announcement himself via Twitter: 

Looking forward to the competition next week, just committed to the Players.

THE PLAYERS, often referred to as the "fifth major," has the highest prize fund of any PGA Tour stop, with a purse of $9.5 million and a $1.71 million reward to the tournament's winner. Tiger won the event in 2001. 

Woods is suffering from a mild MCL sprain in his left knee, as well as a mild strain to his left Achilles tendon, both of which were the result of an awkward shot at hole No. 17 at the Masters. The injuries forced him to miss this weekend's Wells Fargo Championship.

Since the Masters, Woods has been resting the knee and wearing a protective boot as a precaution.

Tiger Woods: 'No Doubt, I'll Be Ready' For U.S. Open

Tiger Woods hasn't set a firm date for a return for golf, but he will be back for the 2011 U.S. Open, he said in an interview with CSN Washington. Woods is resting as he recovers from a left knee injury sustained at The Masters that will keep him out of this week's Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow. His status for The Players Championship is still up in the air, though we should know if he plans to play at TPC Sawgrass by Friday.

Woods said he had "a little hitch in the giddy-up" but that his injury is healing up nicely as he takes a few weeks off from golf. He said he's just taking a little time off as a precaution, but didn't sound too concerned about the long-term prognosis. The walking boot Woods has been wearing is simply a precaution, though he admits it's "not comfortable ... not a cool thing."

When the attention turned to the U.S. Open, Woods was confident in his ability to return. "I'll be ready. No doubt, I'll be ready. I'll be back pretty soon," Woods said, though he didn't specify exactly when he'd be back.

For the latest on Woods' injury, stay with this StoryStream. Head over to SB Nation's Waggle Room for all things golf and for more on the U.S. Open.

Tiger Woods Injury Not Serious, Return Possible At The PLAYERS Championship

Tiger Woods will miss the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow next week due to injury to same left knee that's plagued him throughout his career. Woods announced the injury on Tuesday, though he cautioned it's only minor and skipping the tournament is a precautionary measure. While hitting a shot from under the Eisenhower Tree on hole No. 17 during the third round of The Masters, Woods tweaked his knee, though he finished the tournament strong with a front-nine 31 on Sunday.

Many are, understandably, concerned about Woods' durability after several knee injuries have plagued him throughout his career. His left knee was rebuilt in 2009 and he's only now returning to form after a variety of on- and off-course problems. Another setback could derail his chances of making a run at Jack Nicklaus' record 18 major wins.

Woods' agent, Mark Steinberg, echoed the golfer's sentiments about the injury and praised him for obeying his doctors. Woods was diagnosed with a sprained medial collateral ligament and Achilles tendon, but neither is expected to pose a long-term risk.

"This is precautionary. We're not at all concerned," said Mark Steinberg, his agent at IMG. "He's just listening to his doctors, which is kind of nice. He certainly didn't listen to them before the U.S. Open in 2008."

Though he has ruled himself out of the Wells Fargo Championship, Woods left open the possibility of playing in The PLAYERS Championship, set to begin on May 12. Woods has been away from golf since his fourth-place finish at Augusta, resting his knee and wearing a protective boot as a precaution.

Stay with this StoryStream for the latest on Woods' injury and updates on his status. For everything golf, head over the SB Nation's Waggle Room.

Tiger Woods' Latest Knee Injury Presents Familiar Challenge

The left knee giving Tiger Woods trouble this week, causing him to skip the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow, has been a problem at various times throughout his career. He's had surgery performed on the knee three times, most recently after limping to a win at the U.S. Open in 2008. In fact this isn't the first time the left knee has caused him to miss the tournament at Quail Hollow; a year after winning there in 2007, Woods had surgery on the knee after the Masters and didn't play again until that fateful U.S. Open at Torrey Pines.

Woods, who joined the PGA Tour in 1996, first had surgery performed on that left knee in December 2002, ending one of the most successful portions of his career. It was a seemingly minor procedure, as he had fluid drained from the knee, but he had been favoring it near the end of the year, according to the Associated Press:

Woods was limping and wincing toward the end of the '02 season, and it was not surprising to find out he had surgery that kept him out two months, most of that over the holidays.

Wood didn't win another Major until 2005, after a swing change with new coach Hank Haney that put less stress on that left knee; he won the 2005 Masters, the 2005 and '06 British Open and the '06 PGA Championship.

But Woods' left knee continued to get worse. After playing in pain for a year and a half, Woods had arthroscopic surgery to repair cartilage damage in the knee in April, two days after the 2008 Masters. The procedure was performed by Thomas Rosenberg, the same doctor who operated on Woods in 2002. Originally hoping to get back on the course at the Memorial in late May, Woods didn't compete again until the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines, which he won in dramatic fashion to earn his 14th major title ... at a great cost. Woods played in pain (pictured below) and needed a 19-hole playoff to wrap up the victory.

The surgery Woods had in August 2008 was a reconstructive procedure that built a new ACL. He didn't play a competitive round of golf for eight months but came back strong, winning six times in 2009.

Woods' most recent injury, announced today on his website, is being called a Grade 1 MCL sprain in his left knee, and he also has a mild strain of his left Achilles tendon. Woods won't have surgery, but he'll miss the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow and said he expects to be back "in a few weeks." That means Woods probably will miss the PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass, which is schedule for May 12-15. His next regular event would have been the Byron Nelson Championship at TPC Four Seasons Resort in Irving, Texas, scheduled for May 26-29.

Tiger Woods Will Miss Quail Hollow With Knee, Achilles Injuries

Tiger Woods is suffering from a mild medial collateral ligament sprain in his left knee, as well as a mild strain to his left Achilles tendon, he announced Tuesday on his website. The injury will force him to miss this weekends Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte.

"I personally contacted tournament officials and expressed my regret in not being able to play," Woods said. "This is an outstanding event, but I must follow doctors' orders to get better."

Tiger suffered the injury during a shot at the Masters more than two weeks ago. On hole No. 17, Tiger played a "difficult and awkward" shot from the pine needles under the Eisenhower tree on the left side of the fairway. He's expected to make a return to action in a few weeks, but for now, it's rest and cold-water therapy, per doctor's orders, along with soft tissue treatment. 

The left knee is the same one Tiger had reconstructive ACL surgery on after winning the 2008 U.S. Open; he had been playing with a torn ligament in his left knee for at least 10 months before that operation.