Players Championship: Tiger Woods was expected back at Sawgrass today for the start of the Players Championship - after unconfirmed reports that he made a 4,000-mile round trip to see his seriously ill 74-year-old father.

The world number one is thought to have decided late on Tuesday to fly from Florida to California and then back in time for his 12.33pm first round this afternoon.

Earl Woods was diagnosed with cancer of the prostate in 1998 and in the past two years it has spread to other parts of his body. He last attended a tournament 15 months ago and last April Woods broke down in tears after winning his fourth Masters title at Augusta.

"Every year that I have been lucky enough to win this tournament, my dad has been there to give me a big hug. And today he wasn't there," he said at the presentation ceremony. "I can't wait to get home and see him and give him a big bear hug."

There were reports of a deteriorating condition over the Christmas holidays and Woods made reference when he won the Ford Championship in Miami earlier this month to the fact that it was his father's birthday.

Meanwhile, Chris DiMarco, the player Woods beat in a play-off for the Masters last year, has withdrawn from the Players Championship and been replaced by Colombia's Camilo Villegas.

DiMarco suffered a rib muscle injury during a family vacation in Colorado last weekend and aggravated it practising on Sunday.