Tiger WoodsDarron Cummings
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. - Tiger Woods is heading to the hills this summer to play in The Greenbrier Classic.
Tournament organizers announced Monday that Woods had committed to play July 5-8 in the event, which began only two years ago. It is played on The Old White TPC Course, where two years ago Stuart Appleby closed with a 59 to win.
Phil Mickelson already has said he is returning to The Greenbrier, giving the three-year-old event two of the biggest names in golf.
"We are pleased and excited to have one of the all-time greats in the game join The Greenbrier Classic's 2012 field," said Jim Justice, chairman and owner of The Greenbrier, in a news release. "Tiger is one of the biggest stars in all of sport and he brings significant attention to any event he enters."
The decision means Woods will play twice between the U.S. Open and the British Open, skipping the Travelers Championship before playing in the AT&T National - which benefits his Tiger Woods Foundation - and the Greenbrier. That would then leave him 11 days to prepare for the Open Championship at Royal Lytham St. Anne.
It will be the third time in the last nine months that Woods plays a tournament for the first time as a pro. He played the Frys.com Open in October in San Martin, Calif., and the Honda Classic in March. Woods last played the Honda Classic as a teenager.
Woods will return to the PGA Tour at the end of the month to play in Jack Nicklaus' Memorial Tournament. Tiger is coming off a disappointing two-week stretch where he missed the cut at the Wells Fargo Championship and tied for 40th at The PLAYERS Championship. Woods also tied for 40th at the Masters, two weeks after breaking a 30-month victory drought at the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard.