Woods Announces Return to Golf in 2022

Sports Journalist Derek Clements reports on the latest online buzz.

SOCIAL media has gone into meltdown with the news that Tiger Woods has announced he will return to action at the 2022 Hero World Challenge.

Woods has not played since the Open Championship in July, when he missed the cut in what could prove to be his final Open at St Andrews.

He has played just nine competitive rounds in 2022, finishing 47th at The Masters, withdrawing from the US PGA after a third round of 79 and managing just two rounds at the Old Course.

But Woods still moves the needle and it has been revealed by Rory McIlroy that the 15-time major champion has once again claimed the PGA Tour’s Player Impact Program prize. McIlroy, who won the FedEx Cup and reclaimed the world number one spot in the rankings, finished second, pocketing $12m, taking his total earnings for 2022 to around $40m.

And Woods?  He collects around $20m. Without competing in a single regular PGA Tour event.

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It says much about the interest in Woods that a man who only completed one tournament should walk away with this award for the second year in succession. The PIP award is all about the interest a golfer generates off the course and nobody attracts more hits on social media than Woods.

At Southern Hills during the PGA Championship, Woods was clearly in pain from the severe leg injuries he suffered in a life-threatening car accident in Los Angeles in February 2021 and the 46-year-old admits he will never play a full tournament schedule again.

The Hero World Challenge, which takes place from December 1-4 in the Bahamas, is an obvious place for Woods to return as his foundation benefits from the 20-man event.

The initial field was announced last month with three sponsor’s exemptions remained to be filled. Woods, Kevin Kisner and Tommy Fleetwood have received those exemptions while Shane Lowry took the place of the injured Will Zalatoris.

I am excited to announce that I will be in the field for this year’s #HeroWorldChallenge. A big welcome to @K_Kisner and @TommyFleetwood1 for joining us as well. See you soon at Albany!

— Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) November 9, 2022

Woods will also partner Rory McIlroy in The Match against Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas on December 10 when the seventh version of the exhibition challenge will take place at the Pelican Golf Club in Florida.