Hero we go again! Sorry but couldn’t resist that one and, let’s face it, the title sponsor is a big factor in Tiger Woods making his latest competitive comeback in this week’s Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas.
The 15-time major winner hasn’t played any tournament golf since withdrawing before the resumption of the third round of The Masters in April, which came less than 24 hours after he’d tied the record for the most consecutive cuts in the event.
Woods withdrew from the season’s first major tournament early, disappointingly citing a “reaggravation of plantar fasciitis” as the reason for his severe limp on Saturday at Augusta National. It became clear a few weeks later that we wouldn’t be seeing much of him in a competitive setting this year when he had surgery to treat “arthritis stemming from ankle problems.”
As time passed, just two tournaments remained in which the golfing world might witness him play again in 2023, and those two boxes have now been checked. Apart from leading a field that includes world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and two-time defending champion Viktor Hovland, the 47-year-old has also declared that he will team up with his son Charlie once more in the PNC Championship in Florida in two weeks.
A year ago, Woods was supposed to play in the Hero World Challenge for the first time since failing to make the cut at the 150th Open in St. Andrews, but a flare-up of plantar fasciitis in his right foot prevented him from doing anything but serve as the host at Albany in the Caribbean. It’s a huge boost for the competition that, assuming no unforeseen circumstances arise—which, to be fair, aren’t out of the question considering we’re talking about a guy who nearly lost his leg in a single-car accident in Los Angeles in February 2021—is teeing up on this occasion.
Speaking in Dubai during the season-ending DP World Tour Championship, Rory McIlroy said, “Yeah, looking forward to sitting on my ass at home and watching him.” He then put his clubs away for a few weeks after choosing to forego the Bahamas celebration this time around with Masters winner Jon Rahm. “Alright, that should be fascinating. He can still hit the ball and complete all of his tasks as long as he can make it through the 18 holes. All that needs to happen is for him to complete four rounds without experiencing too much aftereffects.
This is, of course, the biggest issue that Woods has had to deal with since having numerous surgeries. Despite his past successes, such as his fifth Masters victory in 2019 following his candid admission that he may have lost his career a year earlier, McIlroy was correct to issue a warning about what people should not expect from him in terms of competitiveness.
The world No. 2 in the American game acknowledged that he hadn’t really played with the man recently in the Jupiter, Florida, area where they both reside. “I’m sure it’s pretty rusty.” It’s only been a month since he began hitting full shots, but I have no doubt that he will quickly get back into the swing of things. However, hitting balls at the range is not the same as actually making a score and getting the rust off. Of course, the Bahamas—where the course is flat and reasonably generous off the tee—are the ideal location for him to accomplish that. Look, it certainly adds a little extra excitement to the week and I’m just as curious to see how he does as everyone else.
Respecting the other 19 players vying for a purse of $3.5 million, all eyes will be on one man when play starts on Thursday. It will also be interesting to hear his thoughts at a press conference on Tuesday, where he will be joined by Dr. Pawan Munjal, the CEO, chairman, and managing director of Hero MotoCorp, who is a great advocate for golf both domestically and internationally.
What will he have to say about the PGA Tour’s current negotiations with the DP World Tour and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund to try and develop an innovative new game landscape that, should Yasir Al-Rumayyan have his way, will somehow involve a LIV Golf League? And what about McIlroy’s recent decision to step down from the PGA Tour policy board, which he held after serving as the main representative of the US circuit in the formation of the breakaway tour, which Greg Norman will continue to lead with a schedule of 14 events in 2024?
Oh, and it will also be interesting to hear what Woods has to say about the 2025 Ryder Cup as he seems the obvious choice for the PGA of America in terms of the home captain at Bethpage Black in New York, though some reckon he might hold off for an away gig, the 2027 at encounter at Adare Manor in Ireland, due to his long-time connection and friendship with the JP McManus.
Whatever he has to say and, in fairness, he’s much more open and engaging these days than he was when winning was the be all and end all, it will be headline news around the world because Tiger
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