Woods to open 2019 schedule at Torrey Pines

Tiger Woods will kick off his 2019 schedule by competing in the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines next week.

Woods, coming off a resurgent 2018 in which he claimed his first PGA Tour victory since 2013 after battling chronic back problems, last played at the Hero World Challenge in December.

The Farmers, a tournament which he has won seven times, will be his first official PGA Tour start since his pulsing victory at the Tour Championship.

“We couldn’t be happier to have Tiger back in our field,” tournament director Peter Ripa said in a statement. "He really launched his fairytale comeback season right here last January, and he has enjoyed incredible success at Torrey Pines Golf Course and in our tournament over the years.”

1999 2003 2005 2006 2007 2008 2013@TigerWoods looks for his eighth @FarmersInsOpen title next week. https://t.co/MzZyyffJJX

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) January 16, 2019

Woods' commitment to the event came a day after Rory McIlroy announced he will take his place in the field.

The Farmers trumpeted "Rory at Torrey," adding that this year's tournament was looking like a major, based on the players who have committed, including world number one Justin Rose, Jordan Spieth, Rickie Fowler and defending champion Jason Day.

Woods, the world number 12, has said he plans to curtail his schedule this year, admitting that he was tired by the end of his 2018 — his first full year of competition since 2013 — as he made a push in the FedEx Cup playoffs.

Interestingly, though, his 2019 will start the same as it did 12 months ago, he tweeted confirmation on Wednesday that he will play Torrey Pines and then the Genesis Open at Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles from February 14-17.