FACTBOX-Reaction to Tiger Woods returning to golf

(Adds comments by Palmer and O'Meara)

March 16 (Reuters) - World No. 1 golfer Tiger Woods, who withdrew from the game late last year after a damaging adultery scandal, announced on Tuesday he will make his comeback to professional golf at the U.S. Masters in early April.

Following is some reaction:

Billy Payne, chairman of Augusta National Golf Club and the Masters Tournament, said in a statement:

"We support Tiger's decision to return to competitive golf beginning at this year's Masters Tournament. Additionally, we support and encourage his stated commitment to continue the significant work required to rebuild his personal and professional life."

The R&A (Royal and Ancient), golf's governing body and organizer of The Open Championship, said through a spokesman:

"We are very pleased to hear that Tiger is returning to golf. We would always want the world number one at the Open and we very much hope he will join us at St Andrews in July."

Nike (NKE.N), a global sportswear manufacturer endorsed by Woods, said:

"We look forward to Tiger's return to the Masters and seeing him back on the course."

Electronic Arts ERTS.O, which makes the Tiger Woods PGA TOUR video game, said in a statement:

"We're looking forward to seeing Tiger back on the golf course. All eyes will be on Augusta in a few weeks."

Gillette (PG.N), a consumer products company that also works with Woods, said:

"Like many sports fans around the world, we're looking forward to seeing Tiger back on the course."

Arnold Palmer, golfing legend, told the Golf Channel after speaking with Woods:

"He sounded good. He had some zip in his voice. He sounded just fine ... and certainly he knows what he wants to do with his life and the way he is going to handle it and I guess we are going to give him that respect."

Mark O'Meara, 1998 Masters champion and a close friend of Woods, told the Golf Channel:

"I think it's great. I know that it has been a very difficult time in Tiger's life and his family's life and maybe the better place for him to be is out on a golf course. That is what he loves to do."

PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem said in a statement:

"We were pleased to learn that Tiger Woods will be playing the Masters in a few weeks. He has invested a lot of time taking steps, both in his personal and professional life, in order to prepare for his return. We all wish him and his family the best as he rejoins the Tour."

David Carter, head of the Sports Institute at the University of Southern California's Marshall School of Business, told Reuters the pressure is on Woods to play well or sponsors will say "not only is this guy risky from a marketing perspective but he's not achieving the same level of success."

"He certainly has picked a really manageable tournament to re-emerge in and I think if he plays well and is able to align with the pageantry of the Masters it's a step in the right direction."

"Unless he wins, he's not going to return to the high level of media exposure he's accustomed to and that's something sponsors will have to take a good look at." (Reporting by Alexandria Sage and Mark Lamport-Stokes, Editing by Frances Kerry and John O'Callaghan)