Tiger Woods announces competitive golf comeback

Tiger Woods has announced his imminent return to competitive golf. 

Woods, 47, has not played since withdrawing from the Masters in April in huge pain during brutally cold weather conditions at Augusta National.

The 15-time major champion has since been recovering from the subtalar fusion surgery which he later underwent in New York, and recently revealed that he is finally “completely pain free” in his right ankle ahead of his latest comeback.

• Tiger Woods hits unwanted career milestone

• The 33 players who just won a DP World Tour card

“My ankle is fine,” he had revealed. “Where they fused my ankle, I have absolutely zero issue whatsoever. That pain is completely gone.”

And Woods has now committed to making his first appearance in over seven months at the Hero World Challenge, the invitational tournament which he hosts in the Bahamas.

Fans will get to see Woods tee it up against some of the world’s best from November 30-December 3 in Albany.

A tweet confirming the news on the TGR live X account read: “Tournament host @TigerWoods to play in the 2023 HeroWorldChallenge.

• TGL start in jeopardy after venue collapses

• Charlie Woods does something even Tiger didn’t

“He is joined by exemptions Justin Rose and Lucas Glover to round out the field of 20 set to complete at Albany, Bahamas.”

Rose and Glover complete a world-class 20-player field for the invitational tournament. Scottie Scheffler, Viktor Hovland, Max Homa, Jordan Spieth and Matt Fitzpatrick are among those joining Woods for the $3.5million showpiece.

Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele have both officially withdrawn, with Rose and Glover taking the American Ryder Cup pair’s places on exemptions.

But the main draw in Albany will, of course, be Woods with huge intrigue into how his body will cope playing four competitive rounds again.

Tournament host @TigerWoods to play in the 2023 #HeroWorldChallenge. He is joined by exemptions @JustinRose99 and @Lucas_Glover_ to round out the field of 20 set to complete at Albany, Bahamas Nov. 30 – Dec. 3 pic.twitter.com/gBsTXGrTVl

— TGR Live (@TGRLiveEvents) November 18, 2023

He had committed to play in the Hero World Challenge last year, but withdrew on the eve of his event after suffering a foot injury.

Many believed a return this time round was more likely at the PNC Championship in Orlando, the team event staged in mid-December where Woods has played alongside his son Charlie for the past three years.

But he curiously left a spot open in his field for the Hero World Challenge at the end of this month, and now has every intention of competing at his event in the Bahamas.

Hero World Challenge field 2023

Scottie Scheffler
Viktor Hovland
Max Homa
Matt Fitzpatrick
Brian Harman
Wyndham Clark
Jordan Spieth
Cameron Young
Keegan Bradley
Collin Morikawa
Tony Finau
Sam Burns
Jason Day
Sepp Straka
Will Zalatoris
Justin Thomas
Rickie Fowler
Tiger Woods
Justin Rose
Lucas Glover

Ben Parsons joined bunkered as a Content Producer in 2023 and is the man to come to for all of the latest news, across both the professional and amateur games. Formerly of The Mirror and Press Association, he is a member at Halifax Golf Club and is a long-suffering fan of both Manchester United and the Wales rugby team.