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Finchem to address media as Tiger talk grows

Tiger Woods is in the spotlight once again © Getty Images

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PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem will address the media on Monday, amid growing speculation that Tiger Woods is poised to announce his comeback to competitive golf.

Woods has been seen practicing hard near his Florida home, has flown in his swing coach and enlisted the help of a former White House aide in a bid to boost his image.

The New York Post said last week that they had been informed Woods would make his return at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and Finchem hinted over the weekend that he expects an announcement to be made soon.

"I'm as excited as everybody else to see him back I hope this spring, but my sense is we'll know pretty soon," Finchem said. "Everybody's done looking back at the circumstances that resulted in him stepping away from the game and (are) now focused on when he's going to play golf. I think that's good. I think that means people are paying attention to what he said.

"It's going to be huge when he comes back and it's going to be an interesting thing - how he re-enters the game, how he plays, how he deals with the reaction to his statement. But I do feel this huge change in the atmosphere because of what he said."

When addressing the media last month, his first public appearance since the sex scandal broke in November, Woods said: "I do plan to return to golf one day, I just don't know when that day will be.

"I don't rule out that it will be this year. When I do return, I need to make my behaviour more respectful of the game."

The tour has given no indication as to what Finchem's address will be on, but the rumours suggest that the subject of Woods' return will feature. Finchem is due to speak at 6.30pm UK time.

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