DUBLIN, Ohio (AFP) — Tiger Woods confirmed yesterday he will defend his title next week at the Memorial Tournament, making his return to the PGA Tour three weeks after a neck injury forced him out of the Players Championship.

Woods withdrew from The Players Championship on May 9 with what was later diagnosed as an inflamed facet joint in his neck.

He confirmed on his website Wednesday that he’ll play next week at Muirfield Village, where he won his fourth Memorial title last year.

“The doctors advised me to take a week off and rest, which I did,” Woods said. “They prescribed physical therapy, anti-inflammatory medication and soft-tissue massages, which I’m continuing with. Although I’m not 100 per cent, I feel much better and look forward to competing next week.”

The tournament hosted by Jack Nicklaus will also serve as preparation for the US Open two weeks later at Pebble Beach.

Woods has had a tumultuous year on and off the golf course.

Lurid revelations of marital infidelity last November sent him into a self-imposed exile from the tour.

He returned at the Masters in April, where he finished joint fourth place.

In his second start of the year he missed the cut at Quail Hollow by a wide margin, then withdrew the following week from the Players.

A day later, he appeared at a news conference in suburban Philadelphia for the AT&T National, another of the tournaments he won in 2009.

“A lot is up in the air still, which I don’t like,” Woods said then. “I want to come back and defend at the Memorial and play the US Open and obviously play here.

“But a lot of that is still up in the air right now.”

Woods has since confirmed he will be in the British Open at St Andrews July 15-18.

So far four events — the Memorial, the US Open at Pebble Beach in June, the British Open and the AT&T National are the only events he has committed to play.