Tiger Woods' return to competitive action next week has been warmly welcomed by his rivals on the PGA Tour.
World number one Woods will make his much-anticipated comeback from injury in the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship in Tucson, Arizona, it was announced on Thursday.
The 33-year-old has been out of competitive action since winning the US Open in June last year after having reconstructive surgery on the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee the following week and rehabilitating a double stress fracture of the tibia in the same leg.
"Frankly, I'm glad he's coming back," Zach Johnson told the Golf Channel .
"We need him back. We want him back. From a competitive standpoint, as a player, I want him back. I want to have the opportunity to play against the best. He knows his body, I'm assuming he's 100 per cent, so that's fantastic."
Johnson, the 2007 Masters champion, underlined he expected Woods to be raring to go.
"If I remember rightly he played pretty well after he had his first baby so if the trend remains he's going to be playing pretty good.
"As a competitor I'm sure he's just anxious to get back and start competing. That's what fuels you and gets the fire going and this is his job, so I'm assuming he wants to get out here and get back to work.
"If I had seven months off I'd be itching to play."
Brandt Snedeker was asked to contemplate the return of Woods at Augusta National in April for the 2009 Masters, the first major of the year. Last year Woods finished runner-up to Trevor Immelman and one place in front of Snedeker.
"It's scary," Snedeker replied. "We're all wondering what he's going to be like. From what I heard he's been working out and playing a lot of golf and hopefully he comes back better than ever.
"I think the game of golf needs him back right now. Hopefully, he can be a little rusty for a little while and we can gang up on him a little bit but I'm sure within six months he'll be back to his old ways and winning."
Snedeker also claimed Woods' presence would not have a negative impact on the mindsets of his rivals.
"It doesn't change anything, just makes it more exciting," he added.
"We all love having him out here. We all love trying to compete against him and beat him and I think it means that much more when he's in the field if you do play well and do actually beat him.
"I know it's kind of hard to set your sights on somebody like him but we need him out here. He draws fans, he draws interest, he does everything right for the game of golf and just like everybody else, we're all fans out here too, the players, and we all love seeing him competing on a golf course."
Stuart Appleby believes Woods had made the right choice in returning to action at the WGC-Accenture Match Play.
"He's back and he's ready and I'd say he's been ready for ages, it was just a matter of timing," the Australian said.
"I'd also say he's looking to get some competition rounds and feel like he's back on the horse and play a bit before he gets to Augusta.
"He's good at match play - his record states that - but I'd say it's more about the competition and what happens in his own mind and the way he plays the game.
"He just wants to get back on it. He's ready. He'll be as strong as ever and there won't be any breaking-in period for him."
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