Will Tiger Woods play at the Masters 2022? Latest reports, what Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy have said

After weeks of speculation it looks like Tiger Woods will be making an incredible come back to the golf course this week for The Masters, a competition which the 46-year old has had great success in over the past two decades.

The five-time winner has spoken publicly on many occasions about his ambition to take part at Augusta National this year.

Earlier this week, he made his return to the course for practice and is now all set to tee off on Thursday, April 7.

So what has Tiger said about his return to The Masters and what does it mean for the PGA Tour?

What has Tiger Woods said about playing at The Masters?

Woods is scheduled to tee off at Augusta National at 15:34 BST in round one of The Masters on Thursday, April 2022.

Speaking ahead of the tournament getting underway, he said: “I feel like I can still do it. I still have the hands to do it, the body is moving good enough. I have been in worse situations and won tournaments.

“I feel like if I can still compete at the highest level I am going to, but if I feel like I can’t, you won’t see me out here.

“My back surgeries and the stuff I had to play through, even going back to the US Open when my leg was a little bit busted, those are all times that I can draw upon where I was successful, how I’ve learned to block things out and focus on what I need to focus on,” he added.

“The fact that I was able to get myself here at this point was a success and now that I am playing, everything is focused on getting in that position on the back nine on Sunday with a chance like I did a few years ago.”

When did Tiger last play on the PGA Tour?

The man many believe to be the greatest player of all time has not played on the PGA Tour since he featured in the 2020 US Masters.

That tournament took place in November of that year after being delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Since that appearance, Woods has undergone several surgeries on leg injuries he suffered in a car accident in Florida in February 2021.

His absence has seen him slide to 917th in the official World Golf Rankings.

When did Tiger last win the Masters?

Emotions were high when the GOAT returned to action at the 2019 Masters and belied concerns over his fitness to win the tournament for a fifth time.

If he were to return for this year’s Masters, winning a sixth yellow jacket would surely be the greatest achievement of an already outstanding career.

Despite his period of inaction, Woods remains rated at just 50/1 to win the Masters with Bet365.

That is shorter odds than the likes of Sergio Garcia, Justin Rose and Tommy Fleetwood.

What have others said about Tiger’s possible return?

Rory McIlroy said: “I think for golf, and for the Masters tournament, having Tiger there would be phenomenal.

“I think it just adds to the event, of course it does. Anything Tiger Woods does in the game of golf is heightened whenever he is there.

“For him to be there, he was there yesterday, he’s trying to see what he can do. Obviously, nobody knows but him if he can make it around and if he believes he can compete.”