Golf Rumors: Tiger Woods targets quick return following Hero World Challenge let-down
Despite fans holding out hope, Tiger Woods was always going to be a long shot to tee it up in this year's Hero World Challenge after undergoing another back surgery in September. On Monday, he made it official while also announcing three exemptions for the event he hosts in The Bahamas.
Next week's unofficial PGA Tour event will welcome an elite field of 20 players including, Justin Thomas, Jason Day, and Nick Dunlap, the three exemptions that were added to this year's field on Monday. In a social media post, Woods, who made five competitive starts this year, most recently at July's 152nd Open Championship, shared that he regretted not being able to compete this year but that he was looking forward to being in attendance as tournament host.
I am disappointed that I will not be able to compete this year at the Hero World Challenge, but always look forward to being tournament host and spending the week with @HeroMotoCorp. Excited to welcome our exemptions @JustinThomas34, @JDayGolf and @NickDunlap62 into the field.
— Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) November 25, 2024
Tiger Woods competed in last year's Hero World Challenge making his first tournament start since the 2023 Masters. He finished 18th in last year's edition in an event that he has won an incredible five times since its debut in 2001. The 2024 event held at Albany Golf Course, near Nassau, is scheduled to take place December 5 - 8 and boasts a strong field that includes defending champion and World No.1 Scottie Scheffler.
Tiger Woods is expected to compete before the end of the year
Tiger Woods is still recovering from a reported micro decompression surgery of the lumbar spine that he underwent in September. A back surgery that is believed to be the sixth surgery Woods has had on his back over the course of his career.
Despite surgery a couple of months ago, and the announcement that he wouldn't be teeing it up at the Hero World Challenge, Golf Digest has reported that Woods is expected to play alongside son Charlie at the PNC Championship later next month where he will likely use a golf cart, as he has done in the past.
🚨FWIW, Golf Digest reports that Tiger is ‘expected’ to play the PNC with son Charlie. The same article says he has committed but have yet to see official confirmation on that. Woods announced earlier this evening that he’s disappointed to not be able to play at Hero.
— TWLEGION (@TWlegion) November 26, 2024
Tiger and Charlie Woods would be making their fifth consecutive start in the PNC Championship with the duo's best result coming back in 2021 when Team Woods finished runners-up to John Daly and his son, John Daly II. Tiger and Charlie finished 7th in 2020, tied for 8th in 2022, and T5 at last year's event won by Bernhard and Jason Langer.
After making three competitive starts in 2023, and five this year, it remains to be seen how many times the 15-time major champion will tee it up in 2025. Tiger and his team, Jupiter Links GC, are set to kick off the inaugural TGL season in January, beyond that, it's reasonable to assume that we won't see Tiger Woods on the PGA Tour again until the Woods-hosted Genesis Invitational in February at the very earliest.
manual