Tiger Woods EXCLUDED from initial 2024 Hero World Challenge field following back surgery
Tiger Woods has not been named in the initial field of the 2024 Hero World Challenge as he continues to be plagued by injuries.
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Tiger Woods (Image via Imago)
A day after Tiger Woods’ TGL league announced its schedule for the 2025 season, another one of his events, the Hero World Challenge, revealed the field for the 2024 edition. The list though did not contain Woods’ name.
The Hero World Challenge, an unofficial PGA Tour event, is hosted annually by Woods at his course in Albany, Bahamas. Every year, 20 golfers take part in this event, which has a $4.5 million purse.
Last year, this event marked the return of Woods after a seven-month absence following knee surgery. During the tournament, there were some signs of rust from him as he finished 18th after four rounds.
This year, the chances of him appearing seem low. After missing the cut at The Open Championship, he underwent back surgery in September. So far, no update has been provided regarding his return.
I’d like to have played more [this year] but I just wanted to make sure I was able to play the major championships this year. I got a lot of time off to get better, to be better physically, which has been the case all year.
Tiger Woods said in the post round conference at the Open Championship (via Bunkered)
The Hero World Challenge field was just announced, with three spots left for tournament exemptions ? pic.twitter.com/OcpWMmgv6K
— Fore Play (@ForePlayPod) October 22, 2024
However, the field revealed on Tuesday (October 22) saw three spots still available on the host’s exemption. If fit by then, Woods could make an appearance in this tournament.
Which players are not named in the playing field of the 2024 Hero World Challenge?
While the absence of Tiger Woods in the initial field may have caught the eyes, there are some other notable absentees as well. While defending champion and current World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler is the headline name, another major winner this year, Xander Schauffele, is not on the list.
After Scheffler took home the crown of the Masters title, Schauffele roared back and claimed the PGA Championship in May and The Open Championship in July. Bryson DeChambeau, who won the U.S. Open, is also not in the field due to his ties with LIV Golf.
Apart from them, the likes of Rory McIlroy, Collin Morikawa, Viktor Hovland, and Justin Thomas are all missing from the field. Other than McIlroy, all three of them started the event last year.
? Scottie Scheffler will officially participate in the Hero World Challenge (Dec 5-8) as the defending champion prior to his match on December 19th in Las Vegas https://t.co/nQb5k7PPbs
— TrackingScheffler (@SchefflerLegion) October 22, 2024
With three tournament exemptions remaining, some of the absentees from the field could find themselves playing for the $4.5 million purse and some crucial OWGR points come December. Those three players will be revealed at a later date.
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Vinay Dave
(1737 Articles Published)