Tiger Woods Returns To Action At 2014 Hero Challenge

Aug 8, 2014; Louisville, KY, USA; PGA golfer Tiger Woods during the second round of the 2014 PGA Championship golf tournament at Valhalla Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Thomas J. Russo-USA TODAY Sports

Golf fans from around the world have had the 2014 Hero Challenge circled on their calendars ever since Tiger Woods announced that he would make his return at this event after taking time off to heal his ailing back. You have to get excited about eighteen of the best players in the world, playing for $3.5 Million dollars with no cut, and no FedEx Cup points, just a lot of money on the line. The winner’s share is a Million dollars.

You might remember last year, when Zach Johnson holed out from the drop zone on the 18th fairway at Sherwood Country Club to tie the host, and beat Tiger Woods in a playoff to win his first Northwestern Mutual Challenge.

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2014 will see a change in sponsorship, in this exhibition event, and a move across country to the Isleworth Country Club, located in the Orlando area of Central Florida.

The Hero Challenge is now being sponsored by Hero MotorCorp, which is the largest manufacturer of two-wheelers, and is an India based company. The tournament benefits the Tiger Woods Foundation.

"“This tournament has been an integral part of my foundation since 1999 and has raised $25 million for my foundation and local charities,” Woods said. “We are thrilled to partner with Tavistock Group to make the tournament an even stronger platform for the game of golf and I am very excited to welcome Hero MotoCorp as title sponsor. They are a global brand and a great fit for the Hero World Challenge.”"

The star-studded field that will take to the first tee on Thursday includes five-time winner of this event, Tiger Woods, two-time winner, Graeme McDowell, and last weeks winner of the Australian Open, Jordan Spieth. The three top names not in the field, are the world’s number one, Rory McIlroy, number three, Adam Scott, and number seven, Sergio Garcia.

Alternates added to the field were Steve Stricker, and Hideki Matsuyama.

The field:

Bradley, Keegan

Day, Jason

Fowler, Rickie

Horschel, Billy

Johnson, Zach

Kirk, Chris

Kuchar, Matt

Mahan, Hunter

Matsuyama, Hideki

McDowell, Graeme

Reed, Patrick

Rose, Justin

Spieth, Jordan

Stenson, Henrik

Stricker, Steve

Walker, Jimmy

Watson, Bubba

Woods, Tiger

All eyes this week will obviously be on the 14-time major champion. Tiger Woods has not played since missing the cut at the PGA Championship, and has taken time to get his body healthy. Along with getting his body healthy enough to resume his career, Woods has added Chris Como as his new swing coach.

The Hero Challenge will give fans, and the professional golf industry a look at the future. Love him, or hate him, the health, and future of the sport here in the USA needs for the aging super-star to get healthy, and resume his quest to catch, and pass Jack Nicklaus’ record 18 major championships.

I think that train has left the station for the soon-to-be 39 year-old golfer, but if he could at least mount an effort in 2015, and make a legitimate run, it would put a spark back into a sport that is quickly loosing traction here in America.

The biggest event in 2015 so far, will be Rory McIlroy trying to complete the career slam at Augusta in April. If Tiger Woods can get his game together, and pick up at least one major this year, it would bring much-needed casual golf fans back to their televisions for golf here in the US.

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