Tiger Woods is set to host a star-studded golf event in the Bahamas this week.
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler is the headline act at the 2024 Hero World Challenge as he looks to defend the title he secured at Albany 12 months ago.
Scheffler beat Sepp Straka by three strokes in last year’s contest, having finished runner-up to Viktor Hovland twice in a row.
The event, which begins on Thursday, December 5 and runs until December 8, will be the first time he tees up since featuring for the victorious United States Presidents Cup team in September.
Scheffler leads the 20-player field, with other stars including Ludvig Aberg, Wyndham Clark, Patrick Cantlay and Sahith Theegala also involved.
All in all, 20 of the world’s top 35 players make up the field.
Initially, Woods himself was expected to feature in the tournament, but he had to pull out due to his ongoing injury problems.
The legendary golfer announced the decision with a short statement on social media.
“I am disappointed that I will not be able to compete this year at the Hero World Challenge, but always look forward to being tournament host,” he wrote.
Alongside his hosting duties, Woods will also hold a press conference on Tuesday, where he is expected to provide an update on his health.
He remains sidelined from action as he is still recovering from the sixth back surgery of his career, which he underwent in September.
The 15-time Major champion has not played since The Open in July and has only competed all 72 holes of a tournament four times since sustaining career-threatening injuries in a car crash in February 2021.
With Woods pulling out, all eyes will be on Scheffler between the ropes as he looks to finish an already impressive 2024 in style.
The world No. 1 has won the Arnold Palmer Invitational, The Players, The Masters, RBC Heritage, Memorial Tournament and the Travelers Championship on the PGA Tour in 2024.
He also secured gold for Team USA at the Olympics and claimed his first FedExCup title with victory at the Tour Championship.
With a return to Albany, Scheffler has the chance to scoop the $1million prize – if he finishes ahead of the rest of the field.
In total, there is a total purse of $5million.
As the tournament does feature on the PGA Tour schedule, there are no FedExCup points on offer and the money will not go towards a player’s season-long totals due to it being an unofficial event.
Instead, the four-round, no-cut showcase in the Bahamas offers players a nice place to shake off any rust and start preparing for 2025.
