Tiger Woods will make his highly-anticipated return to the PGA Tour alongside long-time pal Justin Thomas at the Hero World Challenge Thursday

Tiger Woods will return to competitive golf with his friend Justin Thomas on Thursday.

The 15-time Major winner will play his first round on the PGA Tour since withdrawing from The Masters in April, as he completes the Hero World Challenge this week.

The 47-year-old’s long-awaited return, which will take place during the event he is hosting in the Bahamas, kicks off on Thursday.

And the start times for the first round of the 20-man field event were released Monday, showing Woods’ combination.

The golf legend will tee off at 11.52am alongside old friend and two-time major winner Thomas.

Tiger Woods will return to competitive golf along with Justin Thomas

The 15-time Major winner will face Thomas in the Hero World Challenge

Thomas was a familiar face alongside Woods this year and also played alongside Rory McIlroy at the Genesis Invitational in February with the 82-time PGA Tour winner.

However, the pair caused controversy when Woods was caught on broadcast passing a tampon to Thomas after beating him on the ninth hole.

Meanwhile, Open champion Brian Harman will start this week’s tournament, joining the first duo with Lucas Glover.

Scottie Scheffler and Sam Burns will tee off in the group ahead of Woods and Thomas, while Jason Day and Collin Morikawa will follow behind.

Defending champion Viktor Hovland will have to wait to begin his quest for a three-peat as he goes out last alongside Max Homa at 12:25.

Woods made a remarkable return to competitive golf at The Masters in 2022, just fourteen months after a single car accident in February 2021 nearly cost him his leg.

However, the injuries he sustained in the accident have made walking the course a struggle, with him limping at times.

The friends caused controversy during the Genesis invite when Woods gave Thomas a tampon

Woods was in visible pain during the wet, blustery third round at Augusta National this year before being forced to withdraw due to re-aggravation of plantar fasciitis.

He underwent surgery in April to help with the injury and has kept a relatively low profile on and off the court since then.

Last December, Woods emphasized that it is not about his game, but about beating the course. He said, ‘I can hit whatever you want, I just can’t walk.

‘I had a few setbacks throughout the year, which I was somehow able to overcome. But I just can’t do this one. Only time can heal this one.”