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TSN Senior Reporter

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Will Tiger Woods return to action next week? We’ll know by 5 p.m. ET Friday. That’s the cutoff for players to commit to play the following week’s event.

That event, the Safeway Open, marks the start of the 2016-17 PGA Tour season. Woods said on his website last month that he was hoping to play the event in Napa, Calif.

Hoping is the key word there. It still gives him the option not to play. It’s like a definite maybe.

According to Golf.com, organizers at the tournament are expecting Woods to be in the field. They’ve experienced a surge in ticket sales and the infrastructure has grown to accommodate his expected return. That includes a larger media centre to house the press corps, which could be five times the usual size.

The article states the organizers have been in contact with Woods’ people, but it seems they are just as much in the dark as everyone else.

Woods was seen last week at the Ryder Cup in Chaska, Minn., where he served as a vice-captain for the winning American side. Despite some urging from the players, Woods reportedly didn’t swing a club during the event.

However, published reports this week quoted fellow player Jesper Parnevik saying that Woods was “flushing” everything in practice sessions at Medalist Golf Club near Jupiter Island, Fla., where both golfers are members.

Woods has always been secretive about his plans and has usually waited until the 11th hour before committing to anything. Most observers seem to think it will be 4:59.59 before the 14-time major winner makes his intention known, although it could come at any time.

He’s expected to be in Pebble Beach at the start of the week for an event support his foundation. There’s no word on whether he will play in that or even hit shots.

Another factor that may affect his decision is Hurricane Matthew, which is bearing down on the Florida coast, close to where Woods makes his home.