Woods has no idea on tour return but will be at Masters dinner

LOS ANGELES • Tiger Woods offered no clues on Saturday as to when he will return to the PGA Tour but did say he will be at the Masters in April to attend the traditional champions dinner ahead of the year's first golf Major.

Woods, speaking on television during the CBS broadcast of the PGA Tour's Genesis Invitational in Pacific Palisades, California, where he is the tournament host, promised a return to competition even if he does not know when.

"You'll see me on the PGA Tour; I just don't know when," Woods told Jim Nantz when asked if it was fair to say he would play on the Tour this year. "Trust me, I'd love to tell you that I will be playing next week, but I don't know when."

The 46-year-old was a non-playing host at the Genesis Invitational last year where, two days after the final round, he was involved in a car accident.

It resulted in a three-week hospital stay for Woods, when he faced the possibility of having his right leg amputated, followed by three months where he was confined to a hospital-type bed at his home in south Florida.

While Woods said last week he had a long way to go in his rehabilitation and he was not recovering as quickly as he would have liked, he refused to fully shut the door when Nantz asked if there was any chance the five-time winner could play in the April 7-10 Masters.

"I don't know," said Woods, before adding that he would be at Augusta National Golf Club for the traditional champions dinner, which this year will be hosted by Japan's Hideki Matsuyama.

When Woods said he could handle playing in the popular and laid-back Par 3 Contest held on the eve of the Masters, Nantz quickly jumped in to ask if that meant the 15-time Major champion would play in the exhibition event.

"Hey Jimmy, slow down for a moment, slow down." Woods said.

Woods, whose comments largely echoed what he said last Wednesday at Riviera Country Club, was also asked about his upcoming induction into the World Golf Hall of Fame and his reply showed how much belief he has in himself.

He said: "I still feel like I can still be out here with these guys trying to kick their butts."

Meanwhile, Chile's Joaquin Niemann fired a three-under 68 on Saturday to take a three-shot lead at the Genesis event with a record 54-hole total of 19-under 194. In second place is United States' Cameron Young (69) with Norway's Viktor Hovland (65) a further three shots adrift. Ex-world No. 1 Justin Thomas (70) is fourth on 201.

REUTERS, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE