Woods' return could be revealed this week

Tiger Woods is expected to announce in the next few days when and where he plans to end his "indefinite break" from golf. Last night the commissioner of the PGA Tour, Tim Finchem, revealed that the world No 1 has promised to give them early notice at which tournament he will return. Finchem also reiterated his belief that "we will know soon".

Woods (below) has until Friday night to enter next week's Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill, but also must decide if he will tee off in an exhibition match to be held next Monday and Tuesday near his home in Florida. The Tavistock Cup takes place at Isleworth, the gated community where Woods crashed his car in November, bursting free a torrent of stories about his extra-marital affairs. Woods has not played in almost four months.

During his self-imposed exile he has undergone rehab for sex addiction, but is understood to have finished his treatment and resumed full practice. Hank Haney, his coach, has been with him on the Isleworth range in the last few weeks, fuelling speculation of an imminent comeback.

There have been mixed reports of where that will be. The New York Post reported that Ari Fleischer, the former press secretary to President George W Bush, has been advising him on a Bay Hill return, while the Associated Press said sources close to the golfer have told them he will go straight to the Masters without a prep event.

What does seem sure is that wherever he re-emerges will be the site of unprecedented golfing interest. Yesterday Sean McManus, the president of CBS News and Sport, which broadcasts the Masters, said: "I think the first tournament Tiger Woods plays again, wherever it is, will be the biggest media event, other than the [Barack] Obama inauguration, in the past 10 or 15 years."