Woods’s comeback will make the Masters a circus

Any thoughts of Tiger Woods making a low-key return to golf have been blown out of the water by the announcement that his comeback will take place at the Masters in Augusta next month.

The news has come as a surprise as it was widely expected that he would take part in one or two warm up tournaments before a major - but his decision will turn the Masters into one of the most anticipated sporting events in history.

Sean McManus, the head of news and sport at CBS, which will broadcast the tournament, has predicted that Woods' return was likely to be the second biggest media event of the past ten years — beaten only by the inauguration of President Obama.

Tickets are expected to change hands for record prices and brands will scramble to air adverts during the TV coverage, which is something of an irony given the reaction of Woods's sponsors after the scandal broke, when they dropped him like a hot potato.

But the circus that will now descend on Augusta presents organisers and the rest of the tour with something of a problem.

Players may not take kindly to having their preparation for the first major of the year being dominated by the return of Woods, and having to play in front of a crowd who is there to see only one man.

Most of the tour was supportive of Woods in the aftermath of the scandal, but recently some have broken ranks. Ernie Els accused the world number one of being "selfish" - and that perception will not have been dispelled by Woods's decision to return at the Masters.

And pity the tournament organisers, who usually maintain a strict control over crowds and the media. For all the publicity they will earn they now find themselves in the middle of a bunfight.

However, it is the strict rules at Augusta that may have prompted Woods's decision. Arnold Palmer, the four-times Masters winner, commented: "Augusta is the one place in the world where you can really have control. They will control everything from the crowds to the situation that will be facing Tiger."

Another former winner Jim Furyk concurred. He said: "It's probably the most controlled atmosphere you can have. Journalists are different there, fans are well behaved because everyone's afraid they will lose their tickets. Everyone is in awe of that place."

Woods himself claimed that he decision was based on other considerations.

"The Masters is where I won my first major and I view this tournament with great respect," he said in a statement. "The major championships have always been a special focus in my career and, as a professional, I think Augusta is where I need to be, even though it's been a while since I last played."

The world number 1 has not played a tournament since 15 November, when he won the Australian Masters in Melbourne. Twelve days later he was involved in a car crash near his home and his personal life began to unravel as news of his many affairs came out.

Since then he has undergone two months of inpatient therapy for sex addiction and has tried to rebuild his marriage. "Although I'm returning to competition, I still have work to do in my personal life," he said. ·