Tiger Woods announces his return to golf by committing to the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas, with fellow players Justin Rose and Lucas Glover joining the 20-man field after replacing Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele, both of whom have withdrawn from the event for undisclosed reasons.
At Glance
‣ Tiger Woods announces return to golf for Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas
‣ Justin Rose and Lucas Glover join Woods in completing 20-man field
‣ Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele replaced in the Hero World Challenge field
‣ Cantlay and Schauffele’s involvement in drama at the 2023 Ryder Cup
Tiger Woods is finally making his return to golf, announcing his commitment to the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas. Joining him in the 20-man field are Justin Rose and Lucas Glover, who received exemptions. This means Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele will no longer be participating. The reason for Cantlay’s withdrawal remains unclear, although Schauffele previously mentioned wanting a break from golf after the Ryder Cup.
At the 2023 Ryder Cup, Cantlay found himself at the center of controversy over the absence of payment for US players. This led to reports of tension within the US team and Cantlay’s alleged protest by not wearing a US hat. Despite his denial of the reports, there have been lingering questions about the dynamic within the US Ryder Cup team.
Since the Ryder Cup, Schauffele has only played in one tournament, finishing 38th in the Zozo Championship. Cantlay, on the other hand, has not competed since the event. However, he did express his excitement about returning to the game on social media. Cantlay has also been announced as a player in the TGL, joining Atlanta Drive GC alongside Justin Thomas, Billy Horschel, and Glover. Additionally, Cantlay recently got married in Rome to his longtime partner, Nikki Guidish.
As Woods, Rose, and Glover gear up for the Hero World Challenge, the absences of Cantlay and Schauffele have raised some questions. The anticipation for Woods’ return is running high, and it will certainly be exciting to see how the tournament unfolds with these developments leading up to it.
