Tiger Woods said on Wednesday he hopes to return to competitive golf next month at a tournament in California, but the 14-time major champion warned his much-anticipated return would depend on his continued recovery.

"My rehabilitation is to the point where I'm comfortable making plans, but I still have work to do," the 40-year-old Woods, who has not played competitively since August 2015, said in a statement.

"Whether I can play depends on my continued progress and recovery. My hope is to have my game ready to go," said Woods, who has been recuperating from back surgery since his last tournament.

The golf superstar said he is hoping to return to competition on October 13-16 at the Safeway Open in Napa, California. That event is the first of the 2016-17 PGA Tour season.

He then hopes to travel to Antalya for the Turkish Airlines Open in November and the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas in December that benefits the Tiger Woods Foundation.

"Hoping to play in Napa, Turkey, and Hero in the Bahamas. Can't wait to compete again," Woods tweeted.

He also plans to take part in his foundation's Tiger Woods Invitational on October 10-11 in California before his tour return.

Woods hasn't competed since finishing equal 10th at the 2015 Wyndham Championship.

He had back surgery last September and a follow-up procedure to ease discomfort from a pinched nerve.

Videos of Woods swinging a club earlier this year prompted various spates of speculation that he was on the brink of a comeback. But he eventually missed the entire season, skipping all four major championships for the first time in his career.

Woods has not won a major since the 2008 US Open after battling a number of knee, leg and back injuries. At times he was unable to even hit the ball. He has won 79 US PGA events, three shy of Sam Snead's all-time record, and his major total is four shy of the all-time record 18 won by Jack Nicklaus.

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