[PHOTO: David Cannon]
Hero World Challenge host Tiger Woods has yet to indicate whether he also will be competing later this year at Albany in the Bahamas. The tournament announced overnight that world No.1 and defending champion Scottie Scheffler leads the initial commitment list of 17 players while three spots in the 20-player field remain open for exemptions – one of which Woods filled a year ago.
As has been the case for the past few years, Woods’ participation is contingent upon his health. Woods, 48, underwent micro-decompression surgery of the lumbar spine on September 13 in Florida to correct a nerve impingement in his lower back. He wrote on X that the surgery, the sixth he has undergone on his back, was successful.
“The surgery went smoothly, and I’m hopeful this will help alleviate the back spasms and pain I was experiencing throughout most of the 2024 season. I look forward to tackling this rehab and preparing myself to get back to normal life activities, including golf.”
Woods made five starts on the PGA Tour in 2024, including all four majors, but completed 72 holes just once, at the Masters, where he finished 60th. In February, he withdrew after the first round of the Genesis Invitational, which he also hosts, and missed the cut at the other three major championships.
Last year at Albany the 15-time major winner finished 18th after more than seven months off to recover from subtalar fusion surgery to stabilise his right leg that was badly injured in a one-car accident in Los Angeles in 2021.
The field for the $US5 million event from December 5-8 features four of the top 10 players in the world: Scheffler, Swede Ludvig Aberg, Wyndham Clark and 2016 Hero champion Hideki Matsuyama of Japan. Scheffler, who won the Masters and the Olympic gold medal, defeated Sepp Straka last year by three shots.
Six players will make their Hero World Challenge debut: Åberg, Sahith Theegala, Russell Henley, Robert MacIntyre, Aaron Rai and Matthieu Pavon.
The remaining three spots in the field will be announced at a later date. Albany is hosting the event for the ninth consecutive year.
