Tiger Woods reveals star-studded field for 2025 Hero World Challenge

Tiger Woods has today confirmed 17 players in the 20-man field for his annual Hero World Challenge at Albany in The Bahamas.

The 2025 Hero World Challenge will take place from 4-7 December. 

Woods, 49, has left the door open, like he usually does at this time of the season, for three exemptions to be announced over the coming weeks. 

Some of Woods' most ardent fans will hope the tournament hosts hands one of the remaining spots in the field to himself.

But it is more than likely that Woods will choose to sit things out and just present the trophy to the winner.

Woods is also expected to once again sit in the commentary booth to call some of the action over the weekend.

Last year, Woods was initially going to play in the Hero World Challenge but chose to withdraw just before the start of the tournament.

Back then Woods was recovering from the sixth back surgery of his career. 

Woods last played in his Hero World Challenge in 2023 where he finished 18th. 

Should Woods once again miss out in 2025, thankfully the field remains stacked with some of the world's best players in action.

Runaway World No.1 Scottie Scheffler once again headlines the field. 

Scheffler has won the last two renewals of the Hero World Challenge.

The four-time major champion romped the field last season with a six-stroke victory over Tom Kim.

That was the largest margin of victory since the Hero World Challenge has been staged at Albany.

A total of 11 of the 2025 Ryder Cup players and Team USA captain Keegan Bradley are in the field, which you can check out at the bottom of his page.

Scheffler will attempt to become the first player to win the Hero World Challenge three times in a row. 

Only Scheffler, Woods and Viktor Hovland have won the tournament twice in a row. 

Woods is a record five-time winner of the Hero World Challenge. 

The Hero World Challenge has been running since 2000 but Hero took up title sponsorship in 2014.

Hero then moved the tournament over to the famous Albany in The Bahamas starting in 2015 where it remains today.

The Hero World Challenge benefits the Tiger Woods Foundation. 

While the tournament is on the PGA Tour schedule, it is not an official PGA Tour event as such. 

The prize fund for the Hero World Challenge is $5m.

The winner takes home $1m. 

Woods is currently out of competitive action as he continues to recover from surgery to repair his left Achilles tendon. 

He has not played in a competitive PGA Tour event since missing the cut at The Open in July 2024. 

While Woods has left the door ajar for three exemptions to join the 20-man field, it is not believed Woods will occupy one of the spots.

When news first broke that Woods was having surgery to repair a ruptured Achilles tendon in March, it was consider by many medical experts that he would be out of competitive action for the duration of 2025.

But if we have come to learn anything these days, never write off Woods from doing the impossible.

Perhaps with three exemption spots left to fill, maybe Woods is trying to push himself over the next two months see if he can play in his event. 

A video has recently been published from TaylorMade of Woods playing some very naughty little flop shots in practice. 

So perhaps a return to the fairways is closer than many of us expect. 

We will have to wait and see. 

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Should Woods miss out on competing in the Hero World Challenge then he may attempt to compete alongside his son Charlie Woods, 16, at the annual PNC Championship just before Christmas.

That is a friendlier 36-hole scramble format where Woods can also ride in a golf cart. 

Should Woods and his young cub Charlie compete in the PNC this December it will mark their sixth appearance in the season-capping event. 

Woods will turn 50 years old on 30 December, which means next season he will be eligible to compete on the senior PGA Tour Champions circuit should he wish to play in some of their tournaments. 

Ernie Els recently challenged the 15-time major champion to come and see whether he can still beat his former arch-rivals. 

Woods' TGL schedule for 2026 also dropped this week.

Jupiter Links, which is Woods' team, open their TGL campaign against New York on Tuesday 13 January. 

GolfMagic has listed the field as it stands for the 2025 Hero World Challenge below.

Hero World Challenge 2025: Field