Masters

Woods said six weeks ago that he had a "long way to go" in his recovery but speculation mounted with each passing day that his return could come at the April 7-10 Masters as he refrained from removing his name from the field of competitors.

"I will be heading up to Augusta today to continue my preparation and practice. It will be a game-time decision on whether I compete," Woods said on Twitter

Last week, a bettor wagered $US85,000 that Woods would break his 11-year drought in the Majors at Augusta National at the odds of $15.

When Woods rolled in his bogey putt on 18 to seal a one-shot victory, the bet had earned the gambler $US1.19 million ($NZ1.65 million).

It was the largest payout in the history of the William Hill US sportsbook in Nevada.

​"It's great to see Tiger back," Nick Bogdanovich, director of trading for William Hill U.S. said - likely through gritted teeth - in a release.

Koepka, who missed last year's Masters with a wrist injury, used a combination of jaw-dropping power and laser-like irons to card a six-under-par 66 to sit atop the leaderboard with Bryson DeChambeau.

After years of injury struggles, Woods re-established himself as a contender last season and recorded top-10 finishes at the Open and US PGA Championship.

Victory at the Tour Championship in September ended a five-year wait for an 80th PGA Tour win and helped earn him a place on the United States' Ryder Cup team.

Woods has only played two events so far in 2019 but he heads into his third at the WGC-Mexico Championship confident he is in a better position to challenge at the top of the leaderboard – both in Naucalpan and at Augusta.