Tiger Woods announces initial field for Hero World Challenge, no spot for him

Tiger Woods on Tuesday (October 4) announced the initial field for his Hero World Challenge. The event, to be held in the Bahamas, features a loaded field. However, he is not a part of it yet.

With the event set to return to Albany, Bahamas, from November 28 – December 4, Woods has now announced a 17-player field. The 2022 Hero World Challenge will feature defending champion Viktor Hovland along with seven major winners and five tournament debutants. While three more spots are left to fill the 20-man field, the chances of Woods playing remain low.

It is pertinent to note that all but four golfers announced are from the top 21 in the world rankings. The field features the likes of Scottie Scheffler, Tony Finau, Xander Schauffele, Billy Horschel, Jon Rahm, Will Zalatoris etc. making one wonder if Tiger Woods, who is currently ranked No. 1,195 in the world, will tee it up in Albany. Woods can join the field despite it being restricted to the top 50 players in the world since he is the tournament host.

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Tiger Woods announces 17 of 20 Hero World Challenge players

Tiger Woods hasn’t played at the Hero World Challenge since 2019. The ace golfer is still in rehab due to his 2021 car crash that almost led to him losing a leg. Following this, he played three majors this year. Woods made his most recent appearance at the British Open in July.

The 15-times major champion appeared at the Masters in April and finished in 47th place. Things worsened for Woods as he was forced to withdraw from the third round of the PGA Championship in May due to pain. He even missed the cut at the British Open in July due to injuries.

Tiger Woods last competed in his Bahamas event in 2019. He finished fourth at the time. Being the tournament host, he will have the right to compete at the event that benefits his foundation, but only if he’s physically able. The PGA Tour champion has kept three spots in the tournament as of now.

Golf fans expect Woods to play at the Bahamas event and make it his fourth appearance of the year. While there haven’t been any suggestions he won’t play, the 46-year-old will have to ensure his physical ability to tee up on the 20-man field that features some of the best golfers in the world.

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2022 Hero World Challenge field

(As per Official World Golf Ranking)

• Scottie Scheffler (1), USA
• Xander Schauffele (5), USA
• Jon Rahm (6), Spain
• Justin Thomas (7), USA
• Collin Morikawa (8), USA
• Will Zalatoris (9), USA
• Matt Fitzpatrick (10), England
• Viktor Hovland (11), Norway
• Sam Burns (12), USA
• Jordan Spieth (13), USA
• Tony Finau (14), USA
• Billy Horschel (15), USA
• Hideki Matsuyama (16), Japan
• Cameron Young (17), USA
• Sungjae Im (18), South Korea
• Max Homa (20), USA
• Tom Kim (21), South Korea

According to pundits, Scottie Scheffler, Justin Thomas and Matt Fitzpatrick will come into the Hero World Challenge as favorites to win it. The event will also feature Zalatoris, who has been out of major events since his withdrawal from the BMW Championship with an injury. Fans will have to wait a bit longer to confirm Tiger Woods’ final decision regarding participation in the event.