The Albany Golf Course in New Providence, The Bahamas, will once again play host to Tiger Woods' Hero World Challenge, an event that features 20 of the top-ranked golfers in the world. On Tuesday, the initial field was unveiled, which included 17 of the 20 players expected to compete in the prestigious event.
All of the players in the field so far are ranked in the top 28 of the Official World Golf Ranking. The players included so far are Scottie Scheffler, Justin Thomas, Xander Schauffele, J.J. Spaun, Robert MacIntyre, Keegan Bradley, Harris English, Justin Rose, Sepp Straka, Hideki Matsuyama, Cameron Young, Patrick Cantlay, Corey Conners, Sam Burns, Chris Gotterup, Wyndham Clark, and Brian Harman.
Naturally, golf fans are curious about who will receive the remaining three tournament exemptions. Tiger usually plays when he's healthy, but he hasn't teed it up in an official event since The Open Championship in July 2024. That's not to say he hasn't played any golf since then, as he appeared in the PNC Championship alongside his son, Charlie, and most of his team's matches in the inaugural season of the TGL.
Woods holds the Hero World Challenge record with five victories, but he's only played in the event once in the last five years, finishing 18th in 2023 at even par.
Tiger Woods injury update
In March, Tiger ruptured his Achilles while training for a Masters comeback. He soon underwent minimally invasive surgery to repair the injury, which reportedly went well. Dr. Charlton Stucken, who performed the procedure, said, "The surgery went smoothly, and we expect a full recovery."
It's worth noting that recovery from this type of surgery typically takes four to six months. With the Hero World Challenge set for December, that would mark about nine months since Woods' procedure, putting him on schedule to return to competition.
It's also worth noting that just a month after the Hero World Challenge, Tiger has already announced his plans to participate in the second season of the TGL. Of course, it’s much easier on his Achilles when he doesn’t have to walk a full course.
With all that in mind, seeing Tiger back in professional golf would definitely be a must-watch event for fans everywhere, even if it’s not an official PGA Tour event or a major championship. Golf fans have certainly been eagerly waiting for his return.