The anticipation is building as the 2025 Hero World Challenge prepares to tee off at Albany Golf Club in the Bahamas from December 4 to 7. This year’s tournament, hosted by the legendary Tiger Woods, boasts a star-studded initial field that reads like a who’s who of the golfing world. With six of the world’s top 10 players set to compete, including World No. 1 and back-to-back defending champion Scottie Scheffler, the stage is set for a dramatic showdown in paradise.
Scottie Scheffler is no stranger to the Hero World Challenge spotlight. After clinching victories in both 2023 and 2024—winning last year’s event by a commanding six shots over Tom Kim—Scheffler now eyes an unprecedented three-peat. If successful, he’ll become the first golfer in the tournament’s 25-year history to win three consecutive titles. It’s a feat that has eluded even the greats, and Scheffler’s current form suggests he’s up to the task. The 29-year-old Texan is already a five-time winner in 2025, including major triumphs at the PGA Championship and The Open, further cementing his status as the man to beat.
The initial field, announced on October 7, 2025, features a dazzling array of talent. Alongside Scheffler, the roster includes Xander Schauffele, Justin Thomas, J.J. Spaun, Robert MacIntyre, Harris English, Keegan Bradley, Justin Rose, Sepp Straka, Hideki Matsuyama, Cameron Young, Patrick Cantlay, Sam Burns, Corey Conners, Chris Gotterup, Wyndham Clark, and Brian Harman. Three spots remain open as tournament exemptions, with the final names to be revealed in the coming weeks. The field is as international as it is competitive, representing six countries: the United States, Scotland, England, Austria, Japan, and Canada.
Among the notables, Hideki Matsuyama returns as the 2016 champion, bringing experience and a history of clutch performances. Ryder Cup fever lingers in the air, as 11 participants from the 2025 edition will be present. From Europe’s victorious squad, Robert MacIntyre, Justin Rose, and Sepp Straka will look to carry their momentum into Albany, while Team USA captain Keegan Bradley leads a strong American contingent. J.J. Spaun, fresh off his U.S. Open win, and Chris Gotterup, the Genesis Scottish Open champion, will make their Hero World Challenge debuts, eager to test their mettle against the world’s elite.
But perhaps the biggest question mark hovers over the tournament’s host himself. Tiger Woods, a five-time Hero World Challenge winner and 15-time major champion, is notably absent from the initial field. Woods hasn’t played a full 72-hole tournament since missing the cut at The Open in July 2024. His absence from competitive golf has been prolonged by a series of injuries, most recently a ruptured left Achilles tendon suffered during training in March 2025, which required surgery and forced him to miss the entire 2025 major season. Prior to that, Woods underwent microdecompression surgery on his lumbar spine in May 2024 to address nerve impingement.
Despite these setbacks, Woods remains ever the enigmatic figure in golf. There are still three sponsor exemptions up for grabs, leaving the door ajar for a potential return. While speculation swirls, Woods has yet to provide a timeline for his comeback. His only appearances over the past year have been alongside his son Charlie at the PNC Championship and as part of the tech-driven TGL indoor golf league, where he is set to make his Season 2 debut on January 13, 2026. For now, fans and fellow players alike are left to wonder: will Tiger make another dramatic return at his own event?
The Hero World Challenge, though an unofficial event on the PGA Tour calendar, carries significant prestige. While it does not offer FedEx Cup points or official prize money, it does award Official World Golf Ranking points—a crucial factor for players eyeing the top spots in the global standings. The $5 million purse and the opportunity to compete against a condensed field of the world’s best ensure that the stakes remain high. Since its inception in 2000, the tournament has provided a unique blend of relaxed island atmosphere and fierce competition, often serving as a proving ground for golf’s elite and a stage for memorable comebacks.
Looking back at the tournament’s rich history, past champions include the likes of Viktor Hovland, Henrik Stenson, Jon Rahm, Rickie Fowler, Bubba Watson, Jordan Spieth, Zach Johnson, Graeme McDowell, Jim Furyk, Vijay Singh, Luke Donald, Davis Love III, Pádraig Harrington, and, of course, Tiger Woods himself. Woods’ five victories at the Hero World Challenge remain a record, but Scheffler’s current run threatens to rewrite the event’s record books.
Television coverage promises to bring every swing to fans around the globe. All four rounds will be broadcast live on the Golf Channel, with NBC Sports joining for the third and final rounds. In the UK, Sky Sports Golf will provide comprehensive coverage, ensuring that viewers won’t miss a moment of the action. For those unable to tune in live, streaming options abound, making the Hero World Challenge one of the most accessible events on the late-season golf calendar.
As the final three spots in the field remain unannounced, speculation is rife. Will Woods seize the chance for a dramatic return? Could a rising star or a seasoned veteran claim one of the coveted exemptions and shake up the leaderboard? One thing’s certain: with such a loaded field and so many storylines, the 2025 Hero World Challenge is shaping up to be a must-watch event.
With the tournament just weeks away, players are fine-tuning their games, fans are booking their flights to the Bahamas, and the golf world is holding its breath. Whether Scheffler can make history, whether Tiger will step back into the competitive arena, or whether a new champion will emerge from the star-studded field, all eyes will be on Albany come December. The countdown to the Hero World Challenge is officially on.
