Tiger Woods is back to playing golf and there is no denying that.

On Monday, Woods was reported to have been hitting practice balls at Augusta National Golf Club, where the Masters Tournament will be played April 8-11.

Amid the sex scandal that has erupted around Woods these last four months, it will be interesting to watch how the public, golf community and media receive him at the Masters — the first dose of competition Woods has seen since last November, where he won the JBWere Masters in Melbourne, Australia.

In previous columns, I have praised Woods for his athletic ability on the golf course, and I believe the No. 1 golfer will show that at the Masters.

On Sunday, I told my father that if Woods wins the Masters next month, then everybody will forget all about the scandal.

That is “if” Woods wins the Masters.

Can he do it?

I believe he can because he proved it at the 2008 U.S. Open Championship — you know the one where he was playing with a bad knee and ended up winning it.

Yes, that one.

Even though all of this rife about Woods lately is more of a mental issue rather than a physical issue, he will block it out and solely concentrate on his task at hand.

Augusta is proven to be a good course for Woods because, let’s face it, he’s won the Masters Tournament four times.

He knows this course, and I think he’ll use that to his advantage come early April.

The crowds will be huge, and I know his loyal fans will be cheering him on when he tees off at the first tee.

They will follow him around the course and watch as this broken man goes back to playing the game he loves so much.

Yes, it will be interesting to watch, and I can’t wait.