Tournament host Tiger Woods was not listed in the initial player field released on Tuesday for the December 4-7 Hero World Challenge in Albany, Bahamas but could still be added as one of the three exemption spots.
The 15-times major champion has not competed since he missed the British Open cut in July 2024 and had surgery in March to repair a ruptured left Achilles tendon.
So far, twice defending champion Scottie Scheffler and 2016 winner Hideki Matsuyama of Japan are among the 17 players who have officially committed to the Hero World Challenge's 20-man field.
In total, six of the top 10 players in the world are among those 17, a group that in addition to Scheffler includes Xander Schauffele, Justin Thomas, J.J. Spaun, Robert MacIntyre and Harris English.
The rest of the field will be announced at a later date.
On Monday, TGL, the tech-infused indoor team golf league that Woods founded with Rory McIlroy, said the American would make his Season 2 debut on January 13.
As every year since 2022, the field will feature 20 players, 17 of whom are invited from among the top-ranked players available according to the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR). The other three spots will be filled with sponsor exemptions, which will be announced at a later date.
Scottie Scheffler leads the field as the world No. 1 and two-time defending champion. Scheffler is looking to become the second player to win the Hero World Challenge more than twice (Woods did it five times) and the first to win three consecutive titles.
The event has some notable absences, including Rory McIlroy, Russell Henley and Tommy Fleetwood. However, it will feature six members of the top 10 and 11 members of the top 20.
Below is the field at the Hero World Challenge.
- Scottie Scheffler (1)
- Xander Schauffele (3)
- Justin Thomas (5)
- J.J. Spaun (7)
- Robert MacIntyre (9)
- Harris English (10)
- Keegan Bradley (11)
- Justin Rose (12)
- Sepp Straka (13)
- Hideki Matsuyama (16)
- Cameron Young (20)
- Patrick Cantlay (21)
- Sam Burns (22)
- Corey Conners (24)
- Chris Gotterup (26)
- Wyndham Clark (27)
- Brian Harman (28)
- Three tournament exemptions TBA