Tiger Woods announces early 2017 schedule as he steps up comeback

Woods gets his year under way at the Farmers Insurance Open - an event he has won seven times and last won in 2013

Tiger Woods in action at last month's Hero World Challenge (Getty)

Tiger Woods has confirmed he will compete in three events starting with the Farmers Insurance Open held at Torrey Pines, which begins on January 26.

Woods will take part in his first PGA tournament of 2017 at an event he has won seven times and last won in 2013, with the event organisers announcing that the former world number one is committed to playing.

The 41-year-old recently returned to competitive golf at the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas after 15 months away from the sport to recover from back injuries and is stepping up his workload as he aims to take part in a more tournaments in 2017.

The second tournament he will compete in is the Genesis Open, an event that his charity Tiger Woods Foundation is running and will be played in Pacific Palisades, starting on February 16.

He also announced he will be competing at the 2017 Honda Classic held at PGA National Resort & Spa, which will take place on February 23 in preparation for the first major of the year at The Masters in April.

oods has not publicly announced his full schedule leading up to April's Masters, the first major of the year.

But in confirming three events he is clearly planning to get plenty of tournament rounds under his belt before his tilt at a fifth green jacket in Augusta.

Woods is expected to play the March 16-19 Arnold Palmer Invitational in Orlando, Florida, an event he has won a record eight times.

He could also add one more tournament to his schedule before the Masters.

PA.