Tiger adds Greenbrier as British Open tuneup

14 May 2012 08:16

Tiger Woods will play for the first time at the $6.1 million US PGA Greenbrier Classic as a July tuneup for the British Open, Woods and the tournament announced on Monday.

The July 5-8 event will be staged on the Old White TPC course where Australian Stuart Appleby fired a final-round 59 to win in 2010 and marks the third unusual event on Woods' schedule in nine months.

Woods, a 14-time major champion chasing the all-time record of 18 majors won by Jack Nicklaus, played the Frys.com Open last October coming off an injury as a tuneup for the Presidents Cup in Australia.

Last March, 36-year-old Woods played the Honda Classic for the first time since his teenage years. Three weeks later, Woods ended a 17-month win drought by capturing the Arnold Palmer Classic at Bay Hill.

Woods has won 72 career US PGA titles, 10 shy of matching the record held by Sam Snead.

Since then, Woods has struggled, missing the cut at Quail Hollow two weeks ago and sharing 40th at the Players Championship last week. He also finished joint 40th last month at the Masters, a major event he has won four times.

Woods is scheduled to return to PGA play on May 31 in the first round of the Memorial as a tuneup for the US Open two weeks later at The Olympic Course in San Francisco.

Woods will play at the National in the first week of July then play at the Greenbrier before heading to the British Open at Royal Lytham.

The Greenbrier field also features Phil Mickelson, who has praised the event for the vacation-style resort atmosphere's offerings for family members which conjures up a relaxed atmosphere.

Source: AFP