Tiger Woods makes his long-awaited return to competition this week at the 2023 Hero World Challenge. A tournament he hosts annually for 20 of the best players in the world, the Hero World Challenge should enjoy heightened interest given Woods' first start since the 2023 Masters.
Woods has played in just five tournaments since his car crash in the winter of 2021. Making four cuts but needing to withdraw during weekend action in two of those instances, Woods has experienced middling success. The 47-year-old has shown glimpses of his former self but not enough to propel his name to the first page of the leaderboard. He will hope his play in The Bahamas will only be the beginning as a newly fused ankle aims to ease the stress on his lower body and allow for a smoother gait and more consistent play.
The 15-time major champion is listed as high as +7000. He's not the only player returning this week, as Will Zalatoris comes back from a back injury at +3500. Playing in the early portion of 2023, Zalatoris appeared to be on the mend but was forced to put his clubs away after doctors determined he needed surgery. The former FedEx St. Jude Championship winner joins a field that includes world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, FedEx Cup champion Viktor Hovland and Max Homa, who won in his last start on the DP World Tour.