Tiger Woods has announced his return to professional golf after committing to compete at this month's Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas.

Woods has not featured on the PGA Tour since suffering an ankle injury at the Masters Tournament in April, which saw him withdraw midway through the event. In the days after the American underwent surgery on the issue, and is finally ready to return seven months on.

The 15-time major champion's schedule has been a stop-start one in recent years, having suffered life-changing injuries to his right leg during a car accident in Los Angeles in 2021.

READ MORE: Tiger Woods' son Charlie achieves something his dad never could on golf course

Since the accident Woods has played in just five PGA Tour events, with his initial return coming at Augusta National last year, 14 months after the crash. In those five events, the American has been forced to withdraw from two, in a testing time for the 47-year-old.

In recent months Woods has been spotted back out on the golf course on a number occasions, often joined by son Charlie, who he caddied for at a 54-hole junior event earlier this month. With speculation growing over a potential return the 15-time major winner provided an update on his fitness last week.

"My ankle is fine," Woods said. "Where they fused my ankle, I have absolutely zero issue whatsoever. That pain is completely gone. It’s the other areas that have been compensated for. But all the surrounding areas are where I had all my problems and still do."

For all the latest on news, politics, sports, and showbiz from the USA, go to The Mirror US .

The Hero World Challenge is an event Woods knows well, with the 47-year-old the annual tournament host. Late last month the PGA Tour dropped a subtle hint that the Bahamas event would play host to Woods' long overdue return.

After the entry list for the limited-field tournament was released only 19 of the 20 spots were confirmed, with the final place labelled 'TBA Tournament Exemption. It was widely expected that this place would be taken by Woods, and the 47-year-old has obliged with two weeks until the off.

The tournament host is not the only star taking advantage of a tournament exemption, with Lucas Glover and Justin Rose both added to the field. U.S. Ryder Cup stars Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele have both withdrawn, opening the door for Rose and Glover.

Woods will be hoping his preparations for this year's Hero World Challenge are not a repeat of last year's, after the host was forced to withdraw with yet another injury issue. On the week of the 2022 event the American pulled out after developing plantar fasciitis in his right foot.

Nobody is more familiar with the event that tournament host Woods, having clinched the title a record five times in 2001, 2004, 2006, 2007 and 2011. This time around he will go up against the likes of world No. 1. Scottie Scheffler, as well as back-to-back defending champion Viktor Hovland.