Woods' agent Mark Steinberg phoned Nicklaus on the day after the operation to tell him that it was the current World No 1's clear intention to play in the Memorial, and, as he hadn't heard anything to the contrary since, Nicklaus, himself a former World's best player and holder of a record 18 majors, is expecting to see Woods teeing off at Muirfield on May 29

"We're hoping that he's going to be there," Nicklaus told Associated Press after he received the US PGA Tour's lifetime achievement award on Wednesday.

Various reports after Woods underwent successful arthroscopic surgery on his left knee on April 15 following his 2nd place finish at the Masters, said he was expecting to be out competitive golf from between four to six weeks.

The Memorial, one of golf's true biggies after the majors, will tee-off a day or two short of seven week's after the operation and in the light of this and reports that Woods is already walking easily again without a limp, Nicklaus had every reason to add: "I think he'll be just fine. I don't think you have to worry too much about him."