Tiger Woods will make his highly-anticipated return to the PGA Tour alongside long-time pal Justin Thomas at the Hero World Challenge Thursday

Tiger Woods is scheduled to make his return to competitive golf alongside his pal Justin Thomas on Thursday. 

The 15-time major winner will play his first round on the PGA Tour since withdrawing from The Masters in April as he tees it up at the Hero World Challenge this week. 

The 47-year-old's highly-anticipated return, which comes at the event he hosts in the Bahamas, will kick off on Thursday. 

And tee times for the first round of the 20-man field event were released Monday, revealing Woods' pairing. 

The golf legend will tee off alongside longtime friend and two-time major winner Thomas at 11:52am.

Thomas has been a familiar face alongside Woods this year, having also played with the 82-time PGA Tour winner during the Genesis Invitational in February along with Rory McIlroy. 

The pair caused controversy, however, when Woods was caught passing a tampon to Thomas on the broadcast after outdriving him on the ninth hole.

Meanwhile, Open champion Brian Harman will get this week's tournament started, heading out in the first pairing with Lucas Glover. 

Another set of close friends in World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and Sam Burns will tee off in the group ahead of Woods and Thomas, while Jason Day and Collin Morikawa will follow behind. 

Defending champion Viktor Hovland will have to wait to start his quest for a three-peat as he goes out last at 12:25pm alongside Max Homa. 

Woods made a remarkable return to competitive golf at The Masters in 2022, just 14 months after a single-car crash in February 2021 almost cost him his leg. 

However, the injuries he sustained during the accident have made walking the course a struggle with him limping at times. 

Woods was in visible pain during the wet, blustery third round at Augusta National this year, before being forced to withdraw due to reaggravated plantar fasciitis.  

He underwent surgery in April to help with the injury and has kept a relatively low profile on and off the course since. 

Last December, Woods insisted that his game isn't the issue but rather getting around the course. He said: 'I can hit whatever shot you want, I just can't walk. 

'I've had a few setbacks throughout the year, that I was somehow still able to play through. But this one, I just can't. Only time can heal this one.'