TIGER Woods’ golf return will come on the Seniors Tour, claims ESPN golf analyst Tony Kornheiser.

Woods, 49, announced this week that he has undergone surgery on a ruptured Achilles.

The 15-time Major champion has not played on the PGA Tour since last July.

Woods had been due to return at last month’s Genesis Invitational, only to withdraw following the sad death of his mother Kultida aged 81.

Prior to his injury, Woods had been expected to play at the Masters in April.

The American did feature at the exclusive Seminole Pro-Member event earlier this month.

Kornheiser, 76, admitted on his podcast that he sees Woods now entering a very different phase of his legendary career.

“The next time we see him, I believe, is in something that everyone says he won’t do, the Senior Open,” Kornheiser said.

“I think he’s gonna want to do it. I think if he can play, he’s played golf his whole life, he’s one of the greatest two golfers of all time.

“I think he’s gonna want to play, and I think his son is gonna say to him, ‘Hey dad, come on, I’ll caddie for you… why don’t you give it a shot?'”

Kornheiser went on to add that Woods, who turns 50 in December, could excel as an “ambassador” for the sport on the Seniors Tour.

“He has been denied the chance to fully realize all that he could have done in this sport. He is a star-crossed figure,” Kornheiser said.

“But I think we’ll see him again, because… he has taken on a role that nobody ever thought he would take on, which is ambassador of golf.”

Confirming his surgery earlier this week, Woods wrote on social media, “As I began to ramp up my own training and practice at home, I felt a sharp pain in my left Achilles, which was deemed to be ruptured.

“This morning, Dr Charlton Stucken of Hospital for Special Surgery in West Pal Beach, Florida performed a minimally-invasive Achilles tendon repair for a ruptured tendon.

‘The surgery went smoothly, and we expect a full recover,’ added Dr Stucken.

“I am back home now and plan to focus on my recovery and rehab, thank you for all the support.”

Earlier this week, Stephen A. Smith wrote off Woods as a professional golfer.

“To me, Tiger Woods is a recreational golfer at this point,” the 57-year-old said on First Take.

“We know how he’s the all-time greatest, we get that, but his health is so bad.

“He’s gone through so many physical tragedies.”

Smith then went on to add, “I look at Tiger Woods and I don’t even think about his game. You know what I think about? One day, cause that’s all you got.”