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Woods back on course at Hero World Challenge

Tiger Woods Tiger Woods - The Canadian Press
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Tiger Woods is heading back to the golf course, and he’ll do so with a lot more money in his pockets.

On Tuesday, Woods announced he will play in the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas, on Dec. 1-4. It will be his first appearance at a tournament since the Open Championship at the Old Course in St. Andrews, Scotland in July.

“I am excited to announce that I will be in the field for this year’s #HeroWorldChallenge,” Woods wrote on Twitter, confirming his place in the event he hosts, which also raises funds for his charity. It’s the first time he’s played in the event, which he has won five times, since 2019.

On the same day, it was revealed that Woods was the winner of the PGA Tour’s Player Impact Program, or PIP. That’s a year-long event that rewards players who generate this most impact through media mentions and broadcast exposure. Rory McIlroy, who finished second, let the news slip during an interview with the Associated Press.

“Hey, I gave him a pretty good run,” quipped McIlroy in the interview.

The PIP has a purse of $100 million, which is shared by the top 20 finishers. The amount each player wins is expected to be announced officially by the PGA Tour later this week.

This is the second year for the PIP. Woods also won it in 2021.

The 15-time major champion, who turns 47 on Dec. 30, played just nine rounds of tournament golf in 2022. In his last appearance at the Open, he appeared to be favouring the leg he injured in a car accident in February 2021 as he posted rounds of 75 and 78 to miss the cut.

He also teed it up in the PGA Championship, recording three rounds before withdrawing due to pain in his leg, and the Masters where he wound up 47th.

In addition to playing in the Hero World Challenge, Woods is expected to once again team up with his son, Charlie, for the PNC Championship, Dec. 15-18. The duo finished second at last year’s event, two shots back of John Daly and his son, John.

Woods was seen recently caddying for his son in a junior event where the younger Woods shot a career-low round of 68.

Woods will also be part of a December 10 made-for-television golf event, The Match, where he and Rory McIlroy will take on Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas in a 12-hole exhibition.

Although none of these outings would be deemed taxing, the busy schedule gives a positive feeling that Woods is healthier than when he left the Open Championship.

His schedule for the 2023 season is still not known.