Tiger Woods' announcement today that he will play in the Quail Hollow Championship in two weeks was good news on two fronts:
It's great news for the Charlotte tournament, which has been a regular stop on Woods' schedule. There had been encouraging signs about Woods' playing in Charlotte once he announced his return to the PGA Tour prior to the Masters.
Secondly, Woods made the announcement eight days before the commitment deadline, an indication that he is abandoning his policy of waiting until the last day or two before the deadline to announce his participation in events.
It will be Woods' second tournament since the scandal surrounding his personal life surfaced last fall and it will be his first regular tour event.
Quail Hollow officials began developing contingency plans weeks ago for Woods' possible appearance in Charlotte. Media credential applications have been closed, limiting access for non-traditional golf outlets.
In addition to Woods, the tournament is expected to have Masters champion Phil Mickelson in the field. Mickelson said last week he would "definitely" play Quail Hollow though his official commitment has not been received.