His appearance comes after completing a second comeback from the injury that wrecked what was shaping up to be the best year of his golfing life in 2009.

That return to action came at Woods' tournament in California in early December. As the world number one dramatically disappeared off radar, Casey slipped back into view by completing all four rounds of the Chevron World Challenge at Sherwood Country Club.

The week, which was also significant for him having Luke Donald's caddie brother Christian on his bag, started with a rusty 75 but finished with a sparkling 64 that might have been even lower.

Casey is hoping his injury worries are behind him

You could say Christmas came at just the wrong time for the Arizona-based Englishman because although Casey felt some tenderness in the rib injury he knew he was at last ready to be playing again.

The problem first occurred back in July during a driving drill ahead of the Open at Turnberry and although he completed all four rounds, his finish in a disappointing share of 47th place effectively ended his season.

Prior to that, he had won three times at in Abu Dhabi and Houston and at the PGA Championship at Wentworth and had played some of the best golf of his career in doing so. There's never a good time for an injury, but this was particularly harsh.

Casey came back in October at the World Matchplay in Spain, but succumbed to a recurrence of the injury a week later in the final round of the WGC Champions tournament in Shanghai. He retreated to the locker room in tears of pain and frustration and with serious questions hanging over his career.

His year seemed over until he decided he was ready to give it another go at Tiger's tournament. Those four completed rounds at Thousand Oaks at the beginning of last month were so important. He felt stiffness in the area of the injury in the mornings and evenings but was able to make confident swings out of the rough which was crucial.

Since then he has had four weeks of close season and judging by messages on his Twitter page is now raring to go. It's the first time he's been eligible for the PGA Tour's season opener which is always restricted to winners from the previous year.

"I want to (go to Hawaii) and I should as well," he says. "First time being qualified for that, I think it is only right."

Casey won't provide the sole British interest on the Pacific island as Scotland's Martin Laird is also eligible courtesy of his breakthrough win in Las Vegas last autumn.

For Laird, the landscape has changed massively after winning that Justin Timberlake- sponsored vevent and he's the first Scot to play in this event since Paul Lawrie finished in a share of eighth place in 2000. .

Aside from starting his season amid the swaying palms of Kapalua, the 27 year old from Glasgow can also look forward to accepting invitations from Arnold Palmer to play at Bay Hill and from Jack Nicklaus to play the Memorial. He will also compete in the AT&T at Congressional where the invitation historically would come from Woods. Alas, Tiger has been removed from hosting duties as a result of his indifinite leave.

Laird is hoping for encouraging early results to claim a place in the Masters but isn't putting too much pressure on himself.

"I need a great start to the season for that to even enter my thinking," he says. "Although it would be great to play in the Masters, that isn't one of my major goals for 2010."

His other priorities include a return to the Scottish Open at Loch Lomond with the fervent hope that he will have done enough to make it a two week trip to include an Open debut at St Andrews.

The US-based Scot is now an affiliate member of the European Tour so in theory could come into the Ryder Cup reckoning if he is able to harness the confidence he gained from that Las Vegas win.

He always appears to be the most level headed of characters and is unlikely to get too carried away just yet though.

He knows the downs as well as the ups of this game, just as Casey does. Both will be hoping this week signals the start of a sustained upward spell.