The field for the Hero World Challenge has been announced and Tiger Woods is not a part of the group, with the golf legend having hosted the event for years
The line-up for the Hero World Challenge has been announced and while Scottie Scheffler is leading the pack, one significant absence is that of Tiger Woods.
The absence of Woods from the Hero World Challenge is particularly noticeable given that the golfing icon hosts the event. The Hero World Challenge forms part of the PGA Tour schedule but as it’s an unofficial event, participants don’t receive FedEx Cup points or official funds.
In total, the prize money for the 2024 version of the event amounts to $4.5 million (£3.5m) with the champion set to pocket $1 million (£770k). Despite this, the biggest names in the sport often participate in the tournament, although this time, Woods is absent.
Currently, Scheffler, Ludvig Aberg, Patrick Cantlay, Wyndham Clark, Hideki Matsuyama, Sam Burns, Brian Harman, Sahith Theegala, Tony Finau, Sungjae Im, Tom Kim, Aaron Rai, Billy Horschel, Keegan Bradley, Russell Henley, Matthieu Pavon and Bob MacIntyre are all confirmed to compete. There are three additional exemption spots available and the golfers awarded these spots will be announced shortly.
There’s a possibility that Woods could be granted an exemption spot to compete in the Hero World Challenge, which would align with his plans for the remainder of the year.
Although the 48-year-old had previously stated his intention to compete in the Hero World Challenge and the PNC Championship, his plans to participate in these events have been effectively put on hold following his announcement that he underwent another back surgery.
In a mid-September announcement on social media, the golfing icon revealed he had undergone an operation to tackle the discomfort that plagued his challenging 2024 season, which was marred by injuries. The procedure was carried out by Dr. Sheeraz Quereshi and has been hailed as a success.
Tiger Woods underwent surgery earlier this year ( Image: Photo by Raj Mehta/Getty Images)
Woods shared in a statement: “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,” adding, “I look forward to tackling this rehab and preparing myself to get back to normal life activities, including golf.”
This latest back surgery marks the sixth in his career, with hopes high for a healthier run in the 2025 season. There’s also anticipation that Woods will make a timely comeback to participate in The Golf League, the new initiative he’s launched with Rory McIlroy, designed to rival LIV Golf.
Should Woods make a remarkable recovery in time for the Hero World Challenge in December, there remains a chance he could endure the same discomfort he faced at last year’s event. In a candid discussion with Golfweek in December 2023, Woods didn’t shy away from describing the extent of his suffering during competition.
“Everywhere,” was Woods’ succinct response when asked about the soreness he felt last year. He elaborated, “My leg, my back, my neck. Just from playing and hitting shots, trying to hold off shots. It’s just different at game speed, too. Game speed is a lot different than at-home speed.”
Despite experiencing discomfort at the Hero World Challenge in 2023, Woods was confident he could participate in at least one tournament per month in 2024. Yet, his aspirations were derailed when he declared in July that he would spend the remainder of the year recuperating, acknowledging that his goals might have been too ambitious.
“I thought I could play a little bit more earlier in the year. I think I was a little bit too optimistic,” Woods confessed. “At the end of last year, it was tough, and I haven’t played a whole lot. I think that, as the year has gone on, I have gotten better. I just wish I could have played a little bit more, but I’ve been saving it for the majors just in case I do something pretty major and then take myself out of it.”
