Tiger Woods has announced that Justin Thomas, Jason Day, and Nick Dunlap will be the last three players to compete in the Hero World Challenge that the Californian golfer organises each year in the Bahamas. In other words, this time he will not be able to participate as he is still trying to overcome his personal ordeal, with a recent back surgery.
The Tiger is the host of this annual PGA Tour event, which, despite not awarding FedEx points, brings together a handful of the world’s best players. However, he has only been able to play the tournament once in the last three editions due to health issues. The latest was the sixth back surgery he underwent in September, aimed at relieving the spasms and pain he experienced throughout this season.
“I am disappointed not to be able to compete this year in the Hero World Challenge, but I always look forward to this moment to host the tournament and spend the week with Hero MotoCorp,” Woods posted on his social profiles. A post in which he announced the names completing the field, including the young Dunlap, who became the first amateur winner of a PGA Tour tournament in over 30 years in January and is making his debut in Albany.
I am disappointed that I will not be able to compete this year at the Hero World Challenge, but always look forward to being tournament host and spending the week with @HeroMotoCorp. Excited to welcome our exemptions @JustinThomas34, @JDayGolf and @NickDunlap62 into the field.
— Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) November 25, 2024
Tiger‘s last competitive appearance was at the Open Championship in July, at Royal Troon, where he left with the hope of playing this Hero World Challenge and competing in December at the PNC Championship of fathers and sons, which he usually plays with his son Charlie. One pair is yet to be confirmed for this festive tournament at the end of December, and the Woods are not currently listed.
Tiger has played infrequently since the serious car accident he suffered in February 2021. Since then, he has participated in 10 tournaments and only completed all four rounds on two occasions. He made the cut at the Masters this year, but his weekend was disappointing. He failed to make the Friday cut in the other three majors of 2024. His back problems have been recurrent and have hampered this epilogue of his career on the PGA Tour. Now, he hopes to be ready at least to compete alongside his son and for the debut of the TGL, which begins on 7 January at the Jupiter Links.
