Tiger Woods News: Golfer Returning to Course for Hero World Challenge
Golfer Tiger Woods is set to play his first competitive tournament since the 2023 Masters in April, teeing off in the Hero World Challenge on November 30. Woods hosts the annual event, which is limited to 20 of the world’s best golfers, at the Albany Golf Club in The Bahamas. The 47-year-old announced the field for his exclusive tournament in October, including a spot for a “TBA Tournament Exemption” that he will now fill.
The 15-time major champion has played in only five PGA tournaments since suffering significant injuries in a February 2021 car accident in California. He is currently ranked No. 1,307 in the Official World Golf Ranking because of his inactivity. Woods underwent fusion surgery on his right ankle in April after withdrawing from the Masters with plantar fasciitis. “My ankle is fine. Where they fused my ankle, I have absolutely zero issue whatsoever. That pain is completely gone,” Woods told the Associated Press earlier this month.
Professional golfer Tiger Woods has won 82 PGA Tour events—tied with Sam Snead for the most ever—and 15 major championships, the second-most in history. Woods broke onto the scene at age 21 by winning the 1997 Masters with a record score, making him the youngest man and the first African American to earn the title. Over the next 12 years, Woods won 13 more majors and was named the PGA Player of the Year 10 times. He became one of the highest-earning athletes in any sport, thanks in large part to a lucrative endorsement deal with Nike, and is considered one of the most famous athletes of the 21st century. However, Woods has struggled to regain his top form after a string of personal problems surfaced in 2009, followed by a series of injuries. A 2021 car accident in California subsequently ended his career as a full-time professional, but he continues competing in select tournaments.