Tiger Woods to Make Return at Hero World Challenge in December

Phil Ellsworth / ESPN Images(ALBANY, Bahamas) – Tiger Woods will make his long awaited return to competitive golf next month, when he will compete in the Hero World Challenge.

Woods sat out the entire 2015-2016 season of the PGA Tour, as he was recovering from a pair of back surgeries. Although it seemed Woods was going to play in October’s Safeway Open in Florida, he pulled out, saying his “game [was] vulnerable it [wasn’t] where it need[ed] to be.”

While on a media tour celebrating the 20th anniversary of his Tiger Woods Foundation, the 14-time major champion said in an interview on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert that “I’ll be there. I’m playing,” regarding the Hero World Challenge.

With the announcement now official, Woods joins the 18-player field consisting of past winners such as Dustin Johnson, Henrik Stenson, Jimmy Walker, Bubba Watson and Jordan Spieth. The tournament, however, will not feature two of the sport’s top players, Jason Day and Rory McIlroy.

The tournament is set to take place from Dec. 2 to Dec. 4.

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