Is Tiger Woods’ potential 1,000-spot jump in the world rankings his largest ever?
The Hero World Challenge can play an early Christmas miracle for US golfer Tiger Woods as Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR) gurus have predicted that he could jump up 1,000 places.
If he manages to pull this off, this could prove to be his largest-ever leap in the OWGR list. The Hero World Challenge is organized by Tiger Woods annually. This year it is taking place in Albany, Bahamas, from November 28 to December 4.
In the past, Woods has always played in the tournament as a test run, especially when he is coming out of injuries. It was in the 2017 edition that he made his biggest rankings jump so far, moving up 531 spots. From no. 1199, he was propelled to no. 668.
Twitter OWGR whisperer Nosferatu has predicted that Woods would make it into the top 250 in the world if he secures a victory in the Bahamas, which is a mammoth leap of a whopping 1,000 spots.
So, the Hero World Challenge will be a critical juncture for his 2022 season as it would allow him to turn the entire year around. Ever since his horrific car crash in 2021, Tiger Woods has experienced a freefall in the rankings.
He spent most of 2022 recovering and recuperating his right leg, which had suffered severe injuries. Woods has slowly started making his way back to the greens.
He has at least three competitive appearances scheduled for December: Hero World Challenge, PNC Championship, and The Match.
How many times has Tiger Woods won the Hero World Challenge?
Tiger Woods is unarguably a golfing legend. He is tied for the top spot in the most PGA Tour wins with Sam Snead, with a whopping 82 victories. He is also ranked second in the highest number of major tournament wins. Along with several records to his name, he is also the golfer who has won the Hero World Challenge the most times.
Woods has won the championship a record five times, in 2001, 2004, 2006, 2007, and 2011. Graeme McDowell comes second with two wins.
It's been almost 11 years since Woods won the Hero World Challenge. This year, there is a lot at stake for the tournament title, and Woods would want to go all out to secure the coveted trophy.
Although the Hero World Challenge is a part of the PGA Tour, the event does not add any amount to the official money as the tournament is unofficial. All profits earned go to the Tiger Woods Foundation.
Woods will fight against some intense competition, including Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas, Xander Schauffele, Will Zalatoris, Scottie Scheffler, and Jon Rahm, among others. But surely he will give it his all to bag the victory.