Tiger Woods is closer to competing again.
Woods is back home after a week of family counseling in Arizona and is trying to get back into a routine that includes fitness and his first significant practice in 15 weeks, a person with knowledge of his schedule told the Associated Press yesterday.
Woods returned to his home near Orlando on Saturday and has been hitting balls on the range at Isleworth, not far from where he crashed his SUV on Nov. 27 that set off shocking revelations of infidelity.
The person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because only Woods is authorized to release such information, said golf’s No. 1 player still has not decided when he will return to competition.
Woods was photographed hitting balls at Isleworth Feb. 18, the day before he ended nearly three months of silence by speaking to a small group of associates at the TPC Sawgrass in a 13 1/2-minute statement that was televised around the world.
“I do plan to return to golf one day, I just don’t know when that day will be,’’ Woods said in his statement. “I don’t rule out that it will be this year.’’
At the time, Woods said he had attended inpatient therapy “for the issues I’m facing’’ for 45 days, from the end of December to early February. He said he was leaving the next day for more therapy, without saying what kind. The person who spoke to the AP said he went to Arizona for a week of family and marriage counseling with his wife, Elin.
News of him getting back into a routine is sure to begin speculation when he might return to the PGA Tour. Woods announced on Dec. 11 that he was taking an “indefinite break’’ to try to salvage his marriage.
To date, he has missed only two tournaments he typically would have played - Torrey Pines and the Match Play Championship - although he had been leaning toward playing Pebble Beach this year because it will host the US Open in June.
Woods is not likely to play next week in the World Golf Championship at Doral.
His next possibility on the PGA Tour is the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill, where he is the defending champion and a six-time winner. The Masters, which Woods has played every year since 1995, would follow. Augusta National officials have not indicated whether they expect Woods to compete.
The fallout from Woods’s sex scandal has been immense. He already has had three sponsors drop him -
The two-time major champion was placed on probation six times, ordered to go to counseling or alcohol rehab seven times, cited for conduct unbecoming a professional 11 times, and fined nearly $100,000.
Pat Bradley, Patty Sheehan, Beth Daniel, Rosie Jones, and Jan Stephenson are among those already selected to compete.
Globe correspondent John Vellante contributed to this report. ![]()



