Tiger Woods’ comeback date ‘leaks’ as golf star prepares for first outing since serious car accident
Tiger Woods might be back on the golf course before the year ends, as many people are guessing he could play in the 2026 Hero World Challenge this December.
Woods hasn’t played golf since a serious car accident in March where his car rolled over. After the crash, he said he would take a break from golf, especially after being arrested for driving under the influence in Florida.
But now, there’s a chance he could come back before 2026 is over. The list of players for the Hero World Challenge was just released, with three spots still open as “TBA tournament exemptions.”
In the past few weeks, Woods has been seen more in public and looks healthy and strong. Although there was no clear sign he would play again this year until the tournament list came out.
The 2026 Hero World Challenge will take place from December 3 to December 6 at the Albany Golf Course in the Bahamas. This year, seven out of the top 10 golfers in the world have already signed up, and the rest of the players will be announced later.
Those three open spots have sparked guesses that Woods might be one of the players, but nothing has been confirmed yet. More news about the lineup should be shared soon.
If Woods doesn’t play at the Hero World Challenge, he might aim to return at the Genesis Invitational in February or the Masters in April.
The Hero World Challenge is an annual event hosted by Woods himself in the Bahamas. It invites 20 of the world’s top golfers and supports the TGR Foundation. Even though it’s on the PGA Tour schedule, it’s an unofficial event and doesn’t offer FedEx Cup points.
This year, Scottie Scheffler is a big name in the tournament, having won it twice before. He’ll be joined by major winners Xander Schauffele, J.J. Spaun, Justin Thomas, and Hideki Matsuyama.
Matsuyama was last year’s winner, taking the title in the Bahamas for the second time.
Rory McIlroy, who is a close friend of Woods, has chosen not to play in the tournament for the fourth year in a row.