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Mark Schlabach, ESPN Senior Writer
Tiger Woods announced Monday he won’t compete in next week’s Hero World Challenge, an unofficial tournament he hosts in the Bahamas.
The 15-time major champion revealed his decision in a statement on X. It wasn’t unexpected after Woods announced in mid-September he had undergone what is believed to be his sixth back surgery.
“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 and spending the week with @HeroMotoCorp,” Woods wrote.
Woods said Justin Thomas, Jason Day and Nick Dunlap would receive exemptions into the 20-man field, which will compete Dec. 5-8 at Albany Golf Club in New Providence, Bahamas. World No. 1 golfer Scottie Scheffler is the defending champion.
Last year, Woods finished 18th at even par, 20 strokes behind Scheffler. Woods was making his first start in more than seven months. He was coming back from surgery to address post-traumatic arthritis in his right ankle and foot, which was caused by injuries he sustained in a car wreck in February 2021.
Woods’ latest procedure was a micro decompression surgery of the lumbar spine for nerve impingement in the lower back, which he hopes will eliminate back spasms and pain he dealt with this past season.
The 82-time PGA Tour winner made five starts in 2024, missing three cuts and withdrawing from the Genesis Invitational because of illness. He finished 60th at the Masters, which was last among golfers who made the cut.
Woods, 48, hasn’t said whether he’ll play in next month’s PNC Championship in Orlando, Florida, with his son Charlie.