Tiger Woods is back in the hunt for his 15th major golf title at  next week’s PGA Championship but the possibility of a “Chubby Slam”  adds spice to the showdown at Atlanta Athletic Club.

Former World No. 1 Woods, who has slid to 28th in the rankings, returned to competitive golf on Thursday from left knee ligament and Achilles tendon injuries that had sidelined him since May, causing him to miss the US and British Opens.

Next week he plays his first major since the Masters and faces stiff competition from US Open winner Rory McIlroy, top-ranked Englishmen Luke Donald and Lee Westwood and defending champion Martin Kaymer.

   Woods managed a practice round last Monday at the 7,467-yard Atlanta layout and found it much to his liking as he tries to snap a 22-month win drought and claim his first major title since the 2008 US Open.

   “I had a blast out there on a wonderful golf course,” Woods said. “It should be a great test for a major championship.”

  While Woods pulled off the “Tiger Slam” feat of winning four major titles in a row in 2000 and 2001, another sort of major title  sweep has unfolded this season and could culminate in history of a different sort next week in Atlanta.

   Andrew “Chubby” Chandler, a former European Tour player, is the manager for this year’s three prior major champions, Masters winner Charl Schwartzel, McIlroy and his fellow Northern Irishman, British  Open champion Darren Clarke.

   “It’s an amazing ride we’re on right now,” Chandler said. “I don’t think it’s a coincidence. They spend a bit of time with each other and they’re used to talking majors and preparing for majors.” 

  Chandler’s champions figure to be a popular trio over the first two rounds, which could help all three thrive in expected sweltering conditions.

   “I think it’s going to be Charl, myself and Darren, the major champions, the first two days, so at least we all know each other and it will be good fun to go out and play in that group,” McIlroy said.

   McIlroy has finished third at the past two PGA Championships and  the course layouts are to the Ulsterman’s liking.

   “I like the PGA setups,” he said. I’m pretty confident going into there.

   “It was a great experience for me to get over the hump of winning a major championship and now that I’ve won one, I have the confidence and I think that I have the know-how to go out and win more.” 

  McIlroy was heralded as the next Woods when he won the US Open after having squandered a big lead entering the last round of the Masters, but it was countryman Clarke who pulled off an emotional British Open triumph.

   While his stable also includes three-time major winner Ernie Els  and 2010 British Open champion Louis Oosthuizen of South Africa, Chandler says he wants World No. 2 Westwood to win his first major and complete the “Chubby Slam”.

   “It would be fantastic if Lee Westwood could complete the job for himself and us in Atlanta because nobody deserves a Grand Slam title more after coming so close so often,” Chandler said.

   Westwood has finished in the top three at six of the past 14 majors, including runner-up efforts at last year’s Masters and British Open and thirds at the 2008 and 2011 US Opens, the 2009 British Open and the 2009 PGA.

   “If I was a gambling man, I would have a substantial bet on Lee Westwood winning the PGA in Atlanta,” Clarke said. “I’m very sure he will win majors and not just a major.

   “If he was to complete the ’Chubby Slam’, I’m sure everybody concerned would be very pleased, but he has got an awful lot of good players that will have chances.

   “I hope he does. Lee has done everything he can do to get himself into contention to win. He has been there many times.

Things haven’t gone his way but I’m sure they will go his way because he’s too good a player.”   

Much the same could be said of Woods, who has not won since November of 2009 at the Australian Masters, just before the eruption of the sex scandal that led to his divorce from Elin Nordegren and the destruction of his iconic image.

   Woods, chasing the all-time record 18 major titles won by Jack Nicklaus, suffered his injuries at the Masters and aggravated them at the Players Championship before pulling out after nine holes.

   Woods will have childhood pal and business partner Bryon Bell as  his bagman after firing long-time caddie Steve Williams, who now works with Australian Adam Scott.