Anthony Kim expressed delight after learning that world number one Tiger Woods will make his long-awaited return at next week's World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship in Tucson, Arizona.
Woods has not played a competitive event since winning the US Open last June after undergoing reconstructive surgery on the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee and rehabilitating a double stress fracture of the tibia in the same leg.
Kim, who is playing in Australia this week at the Johnnie Walker Classic, is very much looking forward to seeing Woods in action once again.
"It's great for golf. I'm sure ticket sales will go right up," said the world number 11 at The Vines Resort and Country Club.
"It's great. You always want to play against the best and he's proven that over and over for I don't know how many years.
"But it's going to be great having him back. He's a friend of mine, so I'll be glad to see him and I'm sure his golf game will be top notch. We'll see if I have the chance to play against him next week."
World number 23 Paul Casey echoed Kim's thoughts.
"It's good to see Tiger back. I think we need him. Certainly with the financial world as it is right now, it keeps the sponsors happy, which is a very important factor," the Englishman said.
"He wouldn't be back if he wasn't fit and well and that could be quite ominous because he'll be raring to go and I think that he's going to be stronger and fitter and he's going to be better than he was before the break - no pun intended.
"It looks like we'll see all of the top 64 turning up in Tucson which is amazing - I'm not sure if it's the first time ever.
"It means that there will be an incredibly strong field and as we know the Matchplay is a difficult one to predict so I've got to get my game in shape."
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