Tiger Woods' former coach Butch Harmon believes the world No. 1 could return to golf in March. Woods, who is taking an indefinite break from the sport, has been in hiding since admitting last month he had cheated on his wife. “Those who say he won't play again are crazy,” Harmon said in an interview with Sky Sports Friday. “People who say he probably won't play this year, I don't really believe that (either). If you want to put a timetable on it, I'd say you may see him in Florida before the US Masters (in April).” There are four PGA Tour events in Florida in March – the Honda Classic, WGC-CA Championship, Transitions Championship and Arnold Palmer Invitational. Woods generally plays in the WGC-CA and Arnold Palmer tournaments. Harmon, who commentates for Sky, said the main reason he believed the 14 times major winner will compete in 2010 is that the US and British Opens are being played on courses Woods likes. “Pebble Beach and St. Andrews are two of his favorite places so I think he will come back and play there,” said the American who now coaches world No. 2 Phil Mickelson. Harmon said the revelations about Woods's private life had come as a complete surprise. “This Tiger Woods I'm reading about, I don't know who this guy is,” he said. “Obviously, he has led two lives – one in public and one we didn't know about which was quite strange. “I think all of us were a little shocked about that. We don't know where Tiger is right now or what he is doing. I just know we (in golf) miss him.” Woods not bigger than the game, says Nicklaus Not even Tiger Woods is bigger than the sport itself and golf will continue to prosper with or without its marquee star, says 18-time major championship winner Jack Nicklaus. “It's not all about one person,” Nicklaus said Friday. “The game is a big game.” Nicklaus has said previously he expects Woods to eventually break his major championship record but even if it doesn't happen, the sport always have a strong world-wide popularity. “Tiger always has been a big influence on the game,” said Nicklaus, who is four majors ahead of Woods. “But the game had Bobby Jones, the game had Walter Hagen, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, Tom Watson, Lee Trevino, Nicklaus. “The game always survived that. The game will continue to go forward. Tiger is a big influence, probably the largest one we ever had. And certainly, we hope he comes back and plays. Nicklaus said this year would be crucial to Woods as three (Augusta, Pebble Beach, St. Andrews) of the four majors are on courses where the World No. 1 Woods has had great success in the past. “If Tiger is going to pass my record, this is a big year for him in that regard,” said Nicklaus, who turns 70 later this month. Woods has won the US Masters at Augusta four times, the 2000 US Open at Pebble Beach and the British Open at St. Andrews in 2000 and 2005.
