Tiger Woods to play Aust Open in Sydney

Tuesday, 2 August 2011 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Tiger Woods will play in Sydney for the first time in 15 years after being confirmed as a starter for the Australian Open golf championship in November.

Woods and Golf Australia boss Stephen Pitt on Monday announced that the former world No.1 would join a star-studded field for the November 10-13 tournament at The Lakes.

The event already features fellow Americans Dustin Johnson and Bubba Watson, defending champion Geoff Ogilvy, two-time major runner-up Jason Day and Presidents Cup captains Greg Norman and Fred Couples.

“I’m very excited to be competing in the Australian Open,” Woods said in a statement.

“I haven’t played in the event since 1996 and I’m anxious to return.

“I have a great affinity for playing golf in Australia and I’m looking forward to competing against an outstanding field at The Lakes.”

Despite slipping out of the world’s top 20, having not played since the Masters in April, Woods’ first appearance in Sydney since finishing fifth as a rookie pro in the 1996 Australian Open is sure to prove a huge drawcard.

“Tiger Woods will complement what is already set to be a huge summer for Australian golf,” Australian PGA chief executive Brian Thorburn said.

“Tiger will be joined in Australia by the world’s best golfers and, while we have already made plenty of player announcements, we still intend to make more.” The going rate for Woods when he was at the height of his game and the biggest name in world sport was around $US3 million ($A2.74 million) a tournament.

And while NSW taxpayers will foot the bill for whatever he’s charging this time around, Deputy Premier Andrew Stoner said the 35-year-old’s appearance would provide an estimated $10 million economy boost for the state.

“We are focused on having the strongest and most compelling events calendar in the country and sport obviously plays a key role in that calender,” Stoner said.

With the Australian Open preceding the Presidents Cup between the United States and International teams in Melbourne from November 14-20 and the Australian PGA at Coolum from November 24-27, Thorburn said golf fans were in for a triple treat this summer. “We know there are a lot of Presidents Cup players wanting to play in our PGA Tour of Australasia events and we expect there will be plenty more announcements in the coming weeks,” Thorburn said.

Woods’ last tournament victory came at the 2009 Australian Masters in Melbourne before his world came crashing down with revelations of his multiple extra-marital affairs.

Woods will make his comeback from knee and Achilles injuries at next week’s WGC-Bridgestone International in Ohio.