While Michael Jordan likely would not publicly give marriage advice to his good friend Tiger Woods, he did offer some suggestions on how the golfing great should handle his comeback to the links.

Woods is attempting to make a comeback this week during the World Golf Championship-Bridgestone Invitational in Akron, Ohio, following a three-month layoff due to injury. But it’s likely Woods also needed mental time away after two tumultuous years following a sex scandal and his subsequent divorce.

Jordan expressed faith in Woods that he can return to his status as the world’s greatest golfer when he talked with the Sydney (Australia) Herald Sun.

Jordan told the paper that just getting back on the golf course will be therapeutic for Woods. It worked for him on the basketball court when he had personal issues and left the game briefly after his father was murdered in 1993.

"When I went through those issues, once I got on to the basketball court, that became a therapeutic thing for me where I was able to forget all those other things,” Jordan said.

"Once I finished playing basketball, I came out with a better understanding of the decisions I had to make.

"He doesn't have that now. Now he's going through something that's totally different, totally new for him and he's now acknowledging that. He needs to get healthy, mentally and physically, before he can really attack that."

Woods' health has been a major issue. But Woods said Tuesday that his leg is healthy and he is ready to tee it off Thursday.

"I think he's waiting to explode again," Jordan said in the interview. "A wounded dog has a tough time trying to keep winning battles.

"And because the battle was a lot tougher than I thought, even Tiger realized, a while ago, he needs to heal before he gets back into these battles again."

The Sydney newspaper has a great deal of interest in Woods these days because he recently announced he will play in the Australian Open in November. Australia is where some of Woods' extra-marital escapades took place.

Contact Terrance Harris at terrancefharris@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter @Terranceharris

(Photo: Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)