He returned at the Hero World Challenge, the tournament he annually hosts which benefits his foundation, on his home course of Isleworth in Florida earlier this month, but he was physically ill during his third round and was unable to avoid finishing joint last.

The former world number one is now determined to start afresh in 2015, and wrote in his end-of-year blog for the PGA Tour: “I’m mostly excited about being healthy again. I’ve struggled for the past year-and-half with my back, and it showed in my results.

“Even though I won five times two years ago, it was hit or miss some weeks and got progressively worse. Now that it feels healthy, strong and stable, it’s fun to be able to play with my kids again, to play soccer and run around with them, shoot hoops ... things that I used to do and took for granted. For anybody who has ever had a bad back with nerve damage, it’s downright debilitating. To not feel that is finally just incredible relief.

“I am still working on my playing schedule and should have it figured out shortly. The kids, (partner) Lindsey (Vonn) and I are going to spend Christmas together and we’re going to have a great time.”

Woods won the last of his major titles at the 2008 US Open.