4 golfers missing from the Hero World Challenge field ft. Rory McIlroy, Tiger Woods
The Hero World Challenge has just announced its 20-man field with three open spots for exemptions later. The December tournament is not an official PGA Tour event, but it is on the schedule and several of the world's best golfers are in the field. Here are a few notable names who will not be in The Bahamas this year, though.
Stars not playing the Hero World Challenge
4) Justin Thomas
Justin Thomas didn't have a stellar 2024 PGA Tour season. Still, he is ranked 32nd in the world and is one of Tiger Woods' closest friends. Woods is organizing the event, but Thomas did not find his name in the field. He could still make it as one of three remaining exemptions, but for now, he's one of the more surprising omissions from the 20-man field.
3) Jon Rahm
The Hero World Challenge is for the best players on the PGA Tour. It is a purposefully limited field of 20, designed to get the best of the best. Jon Rahm is one of the best golfers in the world but he's not eligible. If he were not on LIV Golf and could play the tournament, he'd likely have been asked to do so. However, he is ineligible, so he and his fellow tourmates are not part of this event.
2) Tiger Woods
Tiger Woods is not in the Hero World Challenge. He is the tournament host, but that hasn't stopped him recently. He played the 2023 tournament and was in the field for the Genesis Invitational earlier this year of which he is also the host. He's going to be 49 shortly after the tournament ends and he's not had the year he imagined, so it's not a big surprise that he's not in the field. Woods struggled in all five appearances in 2024, with one withdrawal, three missed cuts, and a last-place finish.
1) Rory McIlroy
Rory McIlroy doesn't have the health impediments and age issues that Tiger Woods does, but he's not in the field either. He may be given an exemption, but it seems more likely that he simply opted not to commit and won't be added. McIlroy had a difficult year that involved a heartbreaking collapse at the US Open. It would have been his first Major since 2014, but he bogeyed the final hole. With the fall schedule firmly in swing, McIlroy has been playing some DP World Tour events but could be taking a bit of time off to relax and regroup.