Tiger Woods: Fresh blow for injury-hit former world No.1

Tiger Woods will NOT play in the Hero World Challenge next week.

The 15-time major champion shared an update on social media confirming that he is not fit enough to take his place in the 18-man event he hosts in the Bahamas.

“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,” tweeted the 48-year-old.

He also confirmed the final three places in the field for the limited event are going to fellow major champions Jason Day and Justin Thomas, as well as Nick Dunlap, who made history earlier in the year when he won on the PGA Tour whilst still an amateur.

Woods has been sidelined indefinitely since undergoing micro-decompression surgery of the lumbar spine in September. It was the former world No.1’s sixth back surgery in the last ten years.

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In a social media update to his followers at the time, he wrote: “The surgery went smoothly and I’m hopeful this will help alleviate the back spasms and pain I was experiencing throughout most of the 2024 season,”

“I look forward to tackling this rehab and preparing myself to get back to normal life activities, including golf.”

The statement gave no indication of a timetable for his returning to action.

Woods played only five times – completing just 11 rounds – on the PGA Tour this year.

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He hasn’t hit a competitive ball since the Open at Royal Troon in July, where he confirmed that his next intended start would be the Hero World Challenge that he hosts in the Bahamas in December.

Speaking to reporters in Ayrshire, he said: “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.

“I’ve gotten better, even though my results really haven’t shown it, but physically I’ve gotten better, which is great.

“I just need to keep progressing like that and then eventually start playing more competitively and start getting into kind of the competitive flow again.”

Michael McEwan is the Deputy Editor of bunkered and has been part of the team since 2004. In that time, he has interviewed almost every major figure within the sport, from Jack Nicklaus, to Rory McIlroy, to Donald Trump. The host of the multi award-winning bunkered Podcast and a member of Balfron Golfing Society, Michael is the author of three books and is the 2023 PPA Scotland 'Writer of the Year' and 'Columnist of the Year'. Dislikes white belts, yellow balls and iron headcovers. Likes being drawn out of the media ballot to play Augusta National.

Deputy Editor