Getting up close and personal with Gary Player

MUCH has been written and commented on Tiger Woods' return to playing on the PGA Tour after a 14-month absence. After announcing he would play in the Safeway Open earlier this month, the former world number one and 14-major winner withdrew three days later saying he was not ready to compete. Woods has also pulled out of next month's Turkish Airlines Open, which would have been his second event.

Legendary nine-major winner Gary Player, a fan of the 40-year-old Woods, also weighed in on the issue at the recent Mission Hills Celebrity Pro-Am, which took place in Haikou, China, last weekend.

"It's going to be the most interesting thing I've seen in golf when he comes back. There are going to be various scenarios - will he play again? Will he win again? And will he win a major? We all need Tiger Woods to come back and play well. Everybody needs him."