Tiger Woods registers for US Open in June after playing first holes of 2016

Tiger Woods is closing in on his comeback to golf after registering for this year's US Open at Oakmont in June. The 14-time major winner has missed the last nine months after undergoing back surgery in August 2015 to remove a disc fragment, the third back procedure he has undergone in the last 19 months.

The 40-year-old missed the Masters for only the second time in his career in April but is eligible to return to action at the second major of the year because of his 2008 victory at Torrey Pines.

A USGA spokesman said: "He has entered the championship, just like all the exempt players who have that status for the US Open. The deadline for entries to the US Open is this coming Wednesday at 5pm Eastern Time. I don't have the information as to when he entered, but I can confirm he has entered the US Open as have all the other players who hold fully exempt status."

Woods last competed at the Wyndham Championship last August and has hit his first balls since then at the opening of the Bluejack National course in Texas.

"I haven't been out here playing like this. I hadn't played any holes until today," Woods told reporters. "I know people have said I've played holes back at Medalist, but I haven't. This is actually the first time I've played holes since Wyndham. It's been a while."