Tiger Woods may not return to competitive golf until next year, says a tour player who attended Woods’ wedding to Elin Nordegren in 2004.

John Cook, described as a longtime Woods friend, told golfweek.com, “If he works on the emotional things he needs to heal, I could see 2011 (as a return date). It wouldn’t surprise me at all.”

Many have speculated that Woods would return from his cheating scandal to play at the Masters in April. However, Cook, one of two professional golfers to attend the couple’s wedding, said it could be much longer than that.

“If he and (wife) Elin decide to work it out, it could take a long time,” Cook, now on the Champions Tour, told writer Jeff Rude.

The golfweek.com column also says, “Multiple professional golfers have told me they don’t think he’ll play this year. One emphatically said he sees no way Woods will play the Masters.”

“I don’t think he’ll play until his marital situation is settled,” one veteran touring pro said.