Tiger Woods is returning to Torrey Pines to start his PGA Tour season.
Woods is a seven-time winner at Torrey Pines as a pro, including the 2008 U.S. Open. He skipped the Farmers Insurance Open last year to play in Abu Dhabi.
He again will make his 2013 debut in Abu Dhabi next week, but that tournament is a week earlier this year. That enables Woods to get back to San Diego for the Farmers Insurance Open, Jan. 24-27.
The field at Torrey Pines already includes Phil Mickelson, Masters champion Bubba Watson and defending champion Brandt Snedeker.
Woods won what was then the Buick Invitational six times. The last time Woods played Torrey Pines, in 2011, he tied for 44th for his worst finish at that event.
MCILROY CUT LOOSE
The Jumeirah Group is not renewing its five-year sponsorship deal with top-ranked Rory McIlroy amid expectations that the Northern Ireland golf star will sign with Nike next week.
The global luxury hotel company based in the United Arab Emirates signed the deal with McIlroy when he was 18 and was one of McIlroy’s first corporate sponsors.
The announcement allows McIlroy to pursue a lucrative endorsement contract, with strong indications that he will sign with Nike in a deal that one industry observer estimated at $20 million a year. That would give Nike golf’s two biggest stars in McIlroy and Tiger Woods, who has been with the sportswear company since he turned pro in 1996.
LPGA ADDS BAHAMAS
The LPGA Tour has a new tournament this year that will be played in The Bahamas.
Commissioner Mike Whan said that Pure Silk will be the title sponsor of the Bahamas LPGA Classic, May 23-26 at Ocean Club Golf Course at Atlantis in Paradise Islands. The 72-hole event will have a $1.3 million purse.
The full LPGA schedule is expected to be announced later this week.
JOIN THE DISCUSSION | Register here
We welcome comments. Please keep them civil, short and to the point. ALL CAPS, spam, obscene, profane, abusive and off topic comments will be deleted. Repeat offenders will be blocked. Thanks for taking part — and abiding by these simple rules. A thorough explanation of rules of conduct can be found in our Terms of Service. If you have any questions, including why your comment may not be showing immediately after you submit it, be sure to visit the commenting FAQ.