Tiger Woods is back in competitive action in Europe for the first time in 10 months from tomorrow, defending his title at the Deutsche Bank-SAP Open TPC of Europe in Heidelberg.
Woods last played on these shores in the British Open at Royal Lytham in July, subsequent appearances in the Lancome Trophy outside Paris and in the Ryder Cup being cancelled following the September 11th terrorist attacks in the United States.
But the American has stayed faithful to a tournament he was won in three of the last four years, on each occasion over the St-Leon-Rot course outside Heidelberg.
For the newly crowned Masters champion, the tournament, for which he receives a substantial appearance fee, now plays a role in his calendar of events leading up to the US Open to be played from June 13th-16th at Farmingdale in New York state.
It will also lay down an early marker for the rescheduled Ryder Cup with no less than nine of the European side raising the challenge against the man who will spearhead the US defence of the title at The Belfry in late September.
The Irish challenge will once again be led by Padraig Harrington, Darren Clarke, Des Smyth, Ronan Rafferty and David Higgins also in the running. Paul McGinley has opted not to travel to Germany.