Tiger returns to competition

CHARLOTTE, N.C., April 29 (UPI) -- Tiger Woods returns to competition Thursday and most of his major rivals will be there to greet him in the opening round of the Quail Hollow Championship.

Woods will be playing for the first time since the Masters, when he put on a final-round show with playing partner Phil Mickelson in a rally that came up short of eventual champion Angel Cabrera.

Both players began the last round at the Masters seven shots out of the lead and both made charges through the field before miscues on the back nine blunted their comeback hopes.

Woods has one victory since coming back from the reconstructive knee surgery that cut short his 2008 season. Mickelson, meanwhile, is one of a pair of two-time winners on the PGA Tour this year.

The other two-time winner, FedEx Cup points leader Geoff Ogilvy, will also be in the field this week at the Quail Hollow Country Club. The field will include 20 of the top 20 on the points list.

Cabrera will be on hand as well Thursday in his first appearance since capturing his second major title. Cabrera will be paired with Retief Goosen and Charles Howell III for the first two rounds.

Woods will play in a group with Jim Furyk and David Toms while Mickelson will be paired with Davis Love III and Anthony Kim.