Tiger registers for US Open but return date still unknown

Tiger Woods has registered to play in June's US Open at Oakmont Country Club in Pennsylvania but has not set a timetable for his return to the PGA Tour.

The United States Golf Association confirmed on Monday that Woods, who has not competed since last August while recovering from back surgeries, registered for the year's second major on April 4, well ahead of Wednesday's deadline.

While the 14-times major winner has registered for the June 16-19 US Open, there is no guarantee he will be at Oakmont, one of the most difficult courses on tour.

Last year, the former world number one also registered to play at the US Open but backed out after saying he was not fully recovered from back surgery.

Speculation, however, has been mounting that the three-time US Open champion could make his PGA Tour return within the next month.

There have been multiple media reports that the 40-year-old American has been ramping up his practice routine while at home in Florida and could make a return to the PGA Tour as early as May 5-8 Wells Fargo Championship.

Woods has not won a major title since he clinched the 14th of his career at the 2008 US Open and his form has slipped dramatically in recent years due to injuries and the mastering of a new swing.

His top-10 finish at the PGA Tour's Wyndham Championship in August, following a dismal 2014-15 season in which he missed three cuts in the majors, gave him encouragement before his health again intervened.

Three weeks later, he had a second microdiscectomy surgery to alleviate pressure on a disc in his lower back, before needing another procedure on October 28 on the same area.

Woods's world ranking has plummeted to 486th and earlier this month he missed the Masters for only the second time since his tournament debut in 1995.