Hero World Challenge names 17 players, Woods absent

Organizers have announced 17 players for the 2026 Hero World Challenge, leaving three exemption places open and Tiger Woods absent from the initial field. Woods has not said whether he will compete in the tournament he hosts, scheduled for December 3-6 at Albany in the Bahamas. The event has 20 available places, and the remaining exemptions are expected to be announced later. The initial lineup includes seven of the world’s top 10 players, led by world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler. Defending champion Hideki Matsuyama, Cameron Young, Matt Fitzpatrick, Russell Henley, Chris Gotterup, Sam Burns and Xander Schauffele are also among the top-ranked entrants. The field announcement does not indicate that any of the three exemptions will go to Woods. His participation remains unconfirmed, and the currently announced lineup establishes only which players have been named so far. Woods, 50, has not played an official tournament since the 2024 Open Championship, where he missed the cut. He has previously used the Hero World Challenge as a setting for a return to competition, but no date for his next competitive appearance has been announced. Footage shared by TGR Live showed Woods hitting golf...