Tiger Woods commits to next month's PGA Championship in Atlanta

Tiger Woods, who has been sidelined for the last 11 weeks because of leg injuries, has committed to play in next month's PGA Championship in Atlanta, Georgia, the PGA of America said Friday.

"We spoke with (Woods's manager) Mark Steinberg regarding Tiger and the PGA Championship," Julius Mason, the PGA of America's senior director of communications and media relations, told Reuters.

"And assuming everything goes well in Akron next week and there are no complications, Tiger intends to play the PGA Championship."

Woods, a four-times winner of the PGA Championship, announced Thursday he would return to competition at the August 4-7 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational in Akron, Ohio.

He is a seven-times champion at the hosting Firestone Country Club in Akron but will have to shake off plenty of rust when he tees off in next Thursday's opening round.

The former world number one, who has recovered from four knee surgeries over the years, has not played since he pulled out of the PGA Tour's Players Championship in May after completing just nine holes.

According to his website, the 35-year-old American has only recently resumed hitting practice balls -- on the advice of his doctors.

"Feeling fit and ready to tee it up at Firestone next week," Woods, who is now ranked 21st, posted on his Twitter account Thursday. "Excited to get back out there!"

A 14-times major champion, Woods hurt his left knee ligaments and Achilles tendon during the Masters in April and has not competed since he withdrew from the Players Championship at Sawgrass on May 12.

He later said he made a mistake in deciding to play that tournament five weeks after hurting himself at the Masters, adding that if he had not competed there he would have been fit enough for the next two majors.

Woods, who has not won a major since the 2008 U.S. Open nor any tournament worldwide since 2009, ended up pulling out of the June 16-19 U.S. Open at Congressional and the July 14-17 British Open at Royal St. George's.

He has also been trying to rebuild his golf swing and his private life following the breakup of his marriage after he confessed to a string of affairs.

The PGA Championship, the fourth and final major of the year, takes place at Atlanta Athletic Club in Atlanta from August 11-14.