Tiger Woods announces 2017 schedule, commits to 3 events

JUPITER, Fla., Jan. 4 (UPI) -- Golfing great Tiger Woods cemented his participation in three future PGA Tour events Wednesday.

Woods committed to: the Farmers Insurance Open, Genesis Open, and the Honda Classic. The Farmers Insurance Open is from Jan. 26 to 29 in San Diego. The Genesis Open is set for Feb. 16 to 19 in Pacific Palisades, California. The Honda Classic is from Feb. 23 to 26 in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.

Woods, 41, is ranked No. 652 in the World Golf Rankings.

He hasn't made an official PGA Tour start since August 2015 at the Wyndham Championship. He sat out for 15 months before firing a 73-65-70-76 at December's Hero World Challenge.

Woods, 41, initially declared his intentions to play in the Genesis Open on Dec. 13.

"I'm very excited to come back to Riviera and compete in the Genesis Open," Woods said in a statement on his foundation's website. "This is where it all started for me. It was my first PGA TOUR event. I was 16 years old, I weighed about 105 pounds. It was a life-changing moment for me."

Now a long shot to catch Jack Nicklaus' major tournament victories record, Woods is just searching for a win. He hasn't claimed a tournament trophy in more than 40 months. His last came in the 2013 World Golf Championships/Bridgestone Invitational.

"We're thrilled our fans will have the opportunity to see Tiger in addition to what is already a very strong field for the Farmers Insurance Open," Century Club CEO Peter Ripa said in a release, via Golf.com. "He has experienced tremendous success at Torrey Pines and in our tournament, and we couldn't think of a better place for him to start the year."

Woods' agent Mark Steinberg, also hinted at Woods playing in the Omega Dubai Desert Classic, according to Golf Digest.

"It's so great to see Tiger Woods back swinging a golf club and competing again," Honda Classic Executive Director Kenneth R. Kennerly said in a release. "He has been such a big part of the growth that we have experienced at The Honda Classic since he moved to Jupiter Island. I know that his presence at this year's tournament will generate enormous excitement amongst the fans and his fellow competitors who appreciate the challenges he has faced the past year and a half becoming healthy again."