World No.1 Jason Day is not expecting huge things from Tiger Woods in his return to competitive golf but hopes the 14-time major winner can recapture some of his old magic.
Woods announced today he was planning on returning to competitive golf in the US PGA Tour season opening Safeway Open in Napa, California on October 13-16.
He has not played for over a year after a third career back surgery.
"Although we're expecting big things from him, I don't expect too much from him, even though he is Tiger Woods," Day said.
"It's hard to say that. But it's always tough to come back, even though you're one of the greatest of all time, it's very difficult to kind of get that sharpness back.
"It should take a few tournaments for him, but hopefully he gets it back pretty quickly and he can get back to, hopefully not to the old ways, but more so closer to the old ways and it would be fun to play against him when he's at his best."
Day, who is in regular text message contact with Woods, said he wasn't surprised by the announcement.
Woods also announced plans to play in the Turkish Open and his own Hero World Challenge.
Day is not expected to play any of these events at this stage.
"I'm looking forward to seeing him play again, seeing what the state of his game is," Day added.
"This time I think he's done it the right way by waiting and not coming back too soon.
"There's been a couple of times where I feel like he may have come back too soon and kind of injured himself a little bit more and that's what's kept him out of the game so long."
Woods is chasing Jack Nicklaus' record 18 major championships and he is also three wins short of Sam Snead's record 82 PGA Tour wins.
"The game is so tight with how competitive it is and how hard it is to win. I don't think winning is going to come as easily as it was for him back in the past," Day said.
"But I think if he's willing to do the work, and willing to climb that mountain again and get back to where he was, he's done it two or three times before, so the possibility is endless for him."
