Eighteen-times major winner Jack Nicklaus claims he will be “surprised” if Tiger Woods is not back in golf in time for the Masters in Augusta next month.

Woods is currently on an indefinite break as he addresses marital problems but Aussie Nicklaus expects the 34-year-old to be back in the near future.

Nicklaus, 70, said: “It would it surprise me if he didn’t.

“I’ve been very non-committal because it’s none of my business. But playing golf, my guess as a golfer, he’s going to probably try to want to.”

The Golden Bear added: “I suspect he will play something before Augusta, and I’d be very surprised if he doesn’t play before Augusta.”

Meanwhile, Woods’ caddie Steve Williams insists he knew nothing of the scandal that surrounds his employer and that he would have spoken out if he had discovered the truth.

The Kiwi told 60 Minutes in New Zealand: “It’s been the most difficult time of my life…because every single person believed that I should know or did know or had something to do with it.

“I’m a straight-up sort of person. No-one that has ever watched him on a golf course would suspect anything would be going on. I’m under siege, it’s been a difficult time.

“If I had known something was going on, the whistle would have been blown.”