General / Maxliu / 13 December 2009 / Leave a Comment

Speculation surrounding World Number One's future mounts as he announces hiatus from golf in bid to be a "better person." So is there any value in backing him in 2010?

Tiger Woods' decision to take an indefinite break from golf means that he is now trading at [1.49] to win no majors in 2010.

In a statement on his website, the world number one said: "I am deeply aware of the disappointment and hurt that my infidelity has caused to so many people, most of all my wife and children."

Explaining that he would be taking an indefinite hiatus from golf, Woods said that he needed to focus his attention on being, "a better husband, a better father and a better person."

He apologised for what he called his "transgressions" and asked for forgiveness and support from those inside and outside the game. A statement from the PGA was released shortly afterwards, saying that the player has their backing.

It's difficult to say when the world number one will return to the tee - prior to the announcement he was expected to make his comeback at the end of January but that is now out of the question.

Although Woods and his advisors have given no indication as to when we might see him playing again, the real speculation - especially for bettors - is whether he will play in next year's majors.

Woods has stated many times that he is determined to surpass Jack Nicklaus' record of 18 major titles and, with four to go, it would be a big surprise if he did not play at the 2010 US Open in June.

But his future is very much up in the air and placing bets around his prospects is a tricky business. In Betfair's Tiger Specials , he is currently trading at [3.2] to win one major in 2010, [6.4] for two and [11.0] for three. You can get odds of [23.0] on Tiger Grand Slam - which would see him equal with Nicklaus' majors haul.

One person who is remaining loyal to Woods is Betting.Betfair's golf expert Bill Elliott. In a compelling article in Sunday's Observer he explains how Tiger revolutionised golf and made it cool.

But what do you think? Will Woods win a major in 2010? Will he play next year? Surely we will see him grace a golf course again, won't we? Post your opinions below.

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