Tiger Woods will end a 16-month absence from competitive golf next month at his own Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas.
Woods has been missing from the course since undergoing a pair of back operations last September, cancelling several planned comebacks.
The 14-time major winner now intends to take part in the event he hosts and has won on five occasions. The 40 year old will line up in a strong 18-man field from Nov 29-Dec 3, including defending champion Bubba Watson.
Woods said: “I am excited to make my return at the Hero World Challenge at Albany and play in this terrific tournament. This is our 18th year, and every year we put together a top field that showcases the best golfers from the previous season. Albany is an outstanding setting, and I can’t thank Hero MotoCorp enough for their support of the tournament and my foundation.”
Woods has not competed since last August, in the Wyndham Championship, a month after which he underwent a microdiscectomy. A second clear-up procedure followed in October and a planned return to action in early 2016 was soon revised.
In September he announced plans to tee up at the following month’s Safeway Open and the European Tour’s Turkish Airlines Open this week. He later shelved those plans, declaring himself physically healthy but suffering from a game that was “vulnerable and not where it needs to be”.
Three of this year’s major winners, Dustin Johnson, Henrik Stenson and Jimmy Walker, are due to take part in the Hero Challenge, as well as world No.5 Jordan Spieth. Jason Day and Rory McIlroy are not taking part.