LOS ANGELES: Former world No. 1 Tiger Woods has registered to play in the US Open in June, the US Golf Association confirmed on Monday.

Woods had until Wednesday’s deadline to register for the tournament, which takes place at Oakmont Country Club this year, but completed his registration three weeks ago.

The 40-year-old has not played at all this year since undergoing two procedures on his back in 2015.

Woods’s agent Mark Steinberg told ESPN that the 14-time major winner’s registration for the tournament was “simply procedural.”

“No reason to read anything into this,” Steinberg was quoted as saying.

Woods also registered to play in the US Open last year before backing out after failing to fully recover from back surgery.

Earlier this month he ruled himself out of the Masters at Augusta, saying that while he had begun hitting balls again, he would not be fully fit for the tournament.

“I’ve been hitting balls and training daily, but I’m not physically ready,” Woods said in a statement.

“I’ve said all along that this time I need to be cautious and do what’s best for my long-term health and career... I’m absolutely making progress, and I’m really happy with how far I’ve come, but I still have no timetable to return to competitive golf.”

The Golf Channel last week reported Woods was eyeing a possible return at the May 5-8 Wells Fargo Championship in Charlotte or The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass on May 12-15.

Schwartzel becomes 4th major champion to skip Olympics

Charl Schwartzel of South Africa has told golf officials he will skip the Olympics.

The former Masters champion is the second South African in the last week to pull out of this summer’s Rio de Janeiro Games. Louis Oosthuizen cited family and scheduling issues.

Adam Scott and Vijay Singh previously said they won’t be playing. That’s four major champions who already have withdrawn as golf returns to the Olympics for the first time since 1904.

PGA Tour spokesman Ty Votaw says Schwartzel informed golf officials last week. Schwartzel was a strong candidate to make the team once Oosthuizen withdrew. That means Jaco Van Zyl would be next in line for South Africa.