7th March, 2012
Tiger Woods, a 14-time major winner chasing the record 18 majors won by Jack Nicklaus, will play in the Arnold Palmer Invitational in his traditional final tuneup for next month’s Masters.
Woods announced on his websitey that he is committed to the US PGA Tour event at Bay Hill from 22-25 March. Woods will seek his seventh victory at Bay Hill, having won PGA events there in 2000-2003, 2008 and 2009.
Woods typically took the week off before the Masters and is expected to skip the Houston Open once again in order to prepare for the year’s first major championship, to be staged 5-8 April at Augusta National Golf Club.
World No. 16 Woods has not won a tour-level title since his infamous sex scandal, although he did capture last December’s World Challenge, a charity event for his foundation featuring top talent.
But Woods has started the season well, sharing third at Abu Dhabi in January and 15th in his US season debut at Pebble Beach before finishing level for 17th at the World Golf Championships Match Play Championship in Arizona.