Tiger Woods has announced the star-studded lineup for his Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas. However, it remains uncertain whether Woods will be competing.
On Monday, Woods revealed the 19 players who will be participating in the 20-man field at Albany Golf Club in early December. The field includes all eligible members of the U.S. Ryder Cup team, as well as two players who were not selected for the team.
Notably absent from the lineup is Brooks Koepka. Koepka is suspended from the PGA Tour due to his involvement with the Saudi-funded LIV Golf League. Despite this, he was a captain’s pick for the Ryder Cup.
Woods himself has not played competitively since withdrawing from the Masters after making the cut. He underwent ankle surgery shortly after his car accident in February 2021, although he was recently spotted hitting wedges during a foundation event at Pebble Beach.
Among the players in the lineup is Viktor Hovland, the two-time defending champion in the Bahamas, who is also part of Europe’s winning Ryder Cup team in Rome.
Sponsor exemptions have been given to Rickie Fowler and Justin Thomas, both ranked in the top 25 in the world. This is a testament to the strength of the field. Players must be within the top 50 to receive an exemption, which is part of the criteria for the unofficial event to earn world ranking points.
Interestingly, the criteria allows for an exemption to be used on the tournament host, which in this case is Woods himself, if he requires one.
