World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler will defend his Hero World Challenge title in the Bahamas this December. The American headlines a star-studded field featuring some of the biggest names in golf. However, tournament host Tiger Woods will likely sit out after organizers left him out of the initial field released on Tuesday.
Woods Missing, Scheffler Leads Star-Studded Field
Six of the world’s top 10 players headline Tiger Woods’ Hero World Challenge 2025, and 17 of the 20 golfers competing at Albany Golf Club rank inside the top 28 of the Official World Golf Ranking. Although organizers didn’t initially include Woods, the 49-year-old can still claim one of the three available exemption spots. However, his participation depends on his recovery and readiness to return to competitive play.
Woods has stayed out of action since March after suffering an Achilles tendon injury. The 15-time major champion plans to return soon, though he hasn’t announced a specific comeback date. He originally intended to play in the 2024 Hero World Challenge but withdrew to focus on recovering from his sixth back surgery.
International Field and Top Contenders
The 2025 field represents golfers from six different countries — the United States, Scotland, England, Austria, Japan, and Canada. Scheffler won the 2024 Hero World Challenge by three strokes after debuting a new claw putting grip, which has contributed to the 29-year-old’s success in 2025 so far.
World No. 4 Xander Schauffele also makes the list after an excellent season and is expected to be a strong contender for the title. Justin Thomas and Patrick Cantlay, both proven winners on the world stage, will also tee it up, adding further depth to an already stacked field.
Other confirmed players include Keegan Bradley, Wyndham Clark, Sam Burns, Harris English, and Brian Harman, all of whom bring recent success and solid form into the event.
From overseas, fans will be pleased to see Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre, Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama, England’s Justin Rose, Austria’s Sepp Straka, and Canada’s Corey Conners in the lineup. J.J. Spaun and Chris Gotterup will make their debut appearances at the Hero World Challenge. Both have shown great promise throughout the season, and this invitation marks a major milestone in their careers.
Full Field Of Hero World Challenge 2025
Scottie Scheffler
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
Brian Harman
Tournament exemptions (3 players – To Be Announced)
Main Photo Credit: © Kyle Terada-Imagn Images
