WHITE SULFUR SPRINGS, United States (AFP) - Tiger Woods will return from a layoff of three months next week, but will not play again before the British Open in mid-July, according to a newspaper report on Saturday.

Jim Justice, tournament chairman for the US PGA Tour Greenbrier Classic that tees off July 3, told the Register-Herald that 14-time major champion Woods would not be playing in the West Virginia event or anywhere else between the National, from June 26, and the British Open.

Justice said he received a courtesy call from Marc Steinberg, Woods' agent, on Friday, to say Woods would not be playing at Greenbrier.

"He is going to play in his event and then he will be off until the British Open," Justice said.

Woods, who underwent back surgery to ease a pinched nerve on March 31, has not played a competitive round since May 9, at Doral, but announced Friday he would play at next week's event at Congressional Country Club near Washington, a tournament that benefits Woods' charity foundation and is operated by it.

"Tiger loved The Greenbrier (in 2012) and had a great time, but the doctors are telling him he has to rest after playing an event if he's going to try to make the British Open and he has to play in his tournament," Justice said.

Woods, 38, would have two weeks to recover from Congressional before the British Open at Royal Liverpool, where Woods hoisted the claret jug in 2006.

Woods, who missed the Masters for the first time in his career and last week's US Open because of the surgery, has not won a major title since the 2008 US Open.