The Big Cat is officially back as Tiger Woods committed to play in the PGA Tour’s Hero World Challenge.
After 224 days since the golf world saw Tiger Woods play competitive golf, the Big Cat will officially return to the PGA Tour.
He will play in the Hero World Challenge event at Albany, Bahamas, from Nov. 30 to Dec. 3, TGR Live confirmed via Twitter early Saturday.
As the event host, rumors circulated about Woods possibly playing considering there were a few spots left to fill. Woods, Justin Rose and Lucas Glover were the last names announced to round out the 20-man field.
Tournament host @TigerWoods to play in the 2023 #HeroWorldChallenge. He is joined by exemptions @JustinRose99 and @Lucas_Glover_ to round out the field of 20 set to complete at Albany, Bahamas Nov. 30 – Dec. 3 pic.twitter.com/gBsTXGrTVl
— TGR Live (@TGRLiveEvents) November 18, 2023
Rose and Glover will replace Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay, who withdrew from the tournament.
The last time Woods played was at the Masters Tournament in April. He withdrew from the event during the third round of play due to the pain in his right ankle. The 15-time major champion had subtalar fusion surgery shortly after the Masters to help alleviate some of his discomfort.
Woods has been seen playing golf this fall, though.
He joined his son, Charlie Woods, at Pebble Beach to play the short course ahead of the TGR Invitational. Woods also caddied for Charlie for the Notah Begay III Invitational at the beginning of November. His gate looked almost normal. The limp golf fans have grown to see him with since that horrific car crash in 2021 was virtually gone.
That same week, the PGA Tour played on one of Woods’ course designs for the first time at the World Wide Technology Championship. While at the event, Stewart Cink said Tiger was in ‘go-mode.
Cleary, he was spot on.
The golf world can rejoice as the 82-time PGA Tour winner has made it official. He will play golf professionally again in less than two weeks.
Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. You can follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports for more golf coverage. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough too.