Tiger Woods to not play the Hero World Challenge as the tournament gets its final three names

Tiger Woods will not compete in the 2025 Hero World Challenge, scheduled for December 4-7 at Albany in the Bahamas, according to the final 20-player field released Wednesday.

The 15-time major champion has not played in an official PGA Tour event since missing the cut at the 2024 British Open and recently underwent lumbar disc replacement surgery. He also had Achilles tendon surgery earlier this year, and his return to competitive golf remains uncertain.

The last three spots in the field go to Jordan Spieth, Billy Horschel and Akshay Bhatia. They join defending champion Scottie Scheffler, 2016 winner Hideki Matsuyama and other top PGA Tour players committed to the event.

Tiger Woods has appeared in only one of the last three editions, skipping last year while recovering from back surgery. The Hero World Challenge which benefits Woods’ foundation, continues to attract top PGA Tour players.

Here’s a look at the complete 2025 Hero World Challenge field:

• Scottie Scheffler
• Justin Thomas
• J.J. Spaun
• Robert MacIntyre
• Harris English
• Keegan Bradley
• Justin Rose
• Sepp Straka
• Hideki Matsuyama
• Cameron Young
• Sam Burns
• Corey Conners
• Chris Gotterup
• Wyndham Clark
• Brian Harman
• Andrew Novak
• Alex Noren
• Akshay Bhatia
• Billy Horschel
• Jordan Spieth

Tiger Woods's latest back surgery keeps comeback plans on hold

Tiger Woods’ comeback hopes have taken another hit after the 82-time PGA Tour winner revealed he recently underwent lumbar disc replacement surgery in New York. The 49-year-old said he suffered a collapse in his L4 and L5 discs, forcing him to undergo another procedure.

“After experiencing pain and lack of mobility in my back, I consulted with doctors and surgeons to have tests taken. The scans determined that I had a collapsed disc in L4/5, disc fragments, and a compromised spinal canal. I opted to have my disc replaced yesterday, and I already know I made a good decision for my health and my back,” Woods said in his statement.

The operation, performed by Dr. Sheeraz Qureshi at the Hospital for Special Surgery, was reported to be successful. This adds to a series of injuries that have kept Woods off competitive golf for much of the past few years. He hasn’t played in a tournament since the 2024 PNC Championship alongside his son, Charlie, and was already recovering from a herniated disc earlier this year.

Sports injury specialist Marty Jaramillo told Golf.com that the artificial disc restores movement while keeping the spine stable. He noted that Woods will face strict restrictions during recovery.

“Tiger will be under strict orders to do a lot of resting and strict limitations on movements like twisting and bending,” Jaramillo said.

While the surgery provides long-term relief, the rehabilitation phase is expected to be slow and controlled, meaning Tiger Woods’ return to professional golf will likely take longer than anticipated.

Edited by Sonali Verma