Tiger Woods’ return to competitive action remains uncertain after losing the former world No. 1 from the initial field of the Hero World Challenge he is hosting.
The invitation-only event is hosted by the Woods Foundation and was previously used as a return event for the 15-time major champion, who has played a limited schedule since suffering life-threatening injuries in a car crash in February 2021.
Woods has not appeared in the 72-hole championship since missing the cut at the tournament last July, with the 49-year-old missing the entire 2025 major season after tearing his Achilles tendon in March and requiring surgery.
Tiger Woods, who won the last of his 82 PGA Tour titles in 2019, has fallen outside the world’s top 2000
The 15-time major champion used the 20-man tournament for his return to action in 2023, after undergoing ankle surgery earlier this spring, but Woods was not in the first 17 players announced for this year’s event at Albany GC from Dec. 4-7. Live on Sky SportQ.
Three tournament exemptions remain open and will be announced in the coming weeks, leaving Woods with time to decide if he is ready for the feature and 12 competitive starts in the past five seasons.
Woods did not give a timetable for his return, with his only appearances over the past year alongside his son Charlie at the PNC Championship in December and at the TGL — a technology-infused indoor golf league — for the Jupiter Links GC.
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Tiger Woods and Jupiter Links failed to make the playoffs in TGL’s first season, although the team had nothing short of entertaining moments throughout the tournament
Scheffler chases Bahamas hat trick
Scottie Scheffler returns as back-to-back defending champion, having followed up his three-stroke win in 2023 by finishing six clear of Tom Kim in last year’s competition, with the 29-year-old bid to become the first player to win the event three years in a row.
The world No. 1 is already a five-time winner this season – including major successes at the PGA Championship at the Open – with his appearance in the Bahamas, set to be his first since featuring for Team USA in the Ryder Cup against Europe at Bethpage Black.
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Highlights from the final round of the Open at Royal Pureter, as Scottie Scheffler completed the third leg of her Grand Slam
Schaeffler is one of six top-10 players in the world committed to the event, with Xander Scheufele, Justin Thomas and US Open champion JJ Spaun among his Ryder Cup teammates due to feature.
Spaun and Genesis Scottish Open Champion Chris Gotterup will both make their debut, while England’s Justin Rose, Scotland’s Robert Macintyre and Austria’s Sepp Straka – part of the European-winning Ryder team in New York – are among the non-American players in the field.
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Key moments from the final day of the 2025 Ryder Cup, as Team Europe hung on to retain the cup with a famous away win
World Champion Challenge: Complete 2025 lineup
Field valid as of October 7; United States of America unless specified
Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, Justin Thomas, JJ Spaun, Robert MacIntyre (SCO), Harris English, Keegan Bradley, Justin Rose (Eng), Sepp Straka (Aut), Hideki Matsuyama (JPN), Cameron Young, Patrick Cantly, Sam Burns, and three tournament exemptions (TBA).
The tournament is listed on the PGA Tour schedule but does not offer FedEx Cup points or official money, although it does award Official Golf Grading (OWGR) points.
Who will win the World Champion Challenge? Watch live from 4 to 7 December on Sky Sports Golf. Get Sky Sports or Stream without a contract now.
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