He’s back, he’s not back, he’s back. Golf legend Tiger Woods announced he will tee it up for his own tournament, the Hero World Challenge, scheduled for December 1-4, at Albany in the Bahamas.
The tournament—formerly known as the Williams World Challenge played in Thousand Oaks, California, beginning in 1999 and hosted one year at Isleworth in Orlando—enjoys its second year at Albany, where Woods will hopefully begin his journey back to relevance on the PGA tour.
The 14-time-major champion hoped to stage his comeback three weeks ago at the Safeway Open when suddenly he withdrew, claiming that his game was “vulnerable and it’s not where it needs to be.”
Woods, who once commanded 683 weeks as world number one, now ranks 831st. He last played in August 2015 at the Wyndham Championship finishing tied for 10th place. He has not won a major championship since 2008 when, hobbling on a broken leg, he defeated Rocco Mediate in a double playoff to win the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines.
Tiger said in a release, “I am excited to make my return at the Hero World Challenge at Albany and play in this terrific tournament.” He added, ”This is our 18th year, and every year we put together a top field that showcases the best golfers from the previous season.”
Proceeds from the tournament help aid the Tiger Woods Foundation established in 1996 by Tiger Woods and his father, Earl Woods, to create and support community-based programs “aimed to improve the health, education, and welfare of all children in America.”
NBC Sports reports joining Tiger is defending champ Bubba Watson, three 2016 major champions Dustin Johnson, Henrik Stenson and Jimmy Walker, and 2014 winner of the event Jordan Spieth.
World number one-player Jason Day will not compete due to back issues and number-three ranked Rory McIlroy also will not participate.
Others scheduled to play include Patrick Reed, Hideki Matsuyama, Rickie Fowler, Justin Rose, Matt Kuchar, Russell Knox, Brandt Snedeker, Brooks Koepka, Louis Oosthuizen, J.B. Holmes, Emiliano Grillo, and last year’s winner Zach Johnson.