Tiger Woods Omitted from Hero World Challenge Field

Tiger Woods is not included in the initial player field for the Hero World Challenge, scheduled for December 5-8 in Albany, Bahamas, but he may still be granted one of three exemption spots. The 15-time major champion has not competed since missing the cut at the British Open in July and underwent microdecompression surgery for nerve impingement in September. In five tournaments this year, Woods experienced significant struggles, including a withdrawal and multiple missed cuts. He announced he would take a break from official tournaments for the rest of the year, targeting a return at the Hero World Challenge. Currently, world number one Scottie Scheffler, 2016 champion Hideki Matsuyama, and 2025 Team USA Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley are among the 17 confirmed players for the event. The Hero World Challenge is an unofficial PGA Tour event featuring a limited field of 20 players.