Exciting Comeback: Tiger Woods Returns at Hero World Challenge – What’s Your Expectation?

In precisely one week from Thursday, Tiger Woods will make his return to competitive golf.

His last professional round was at the 2023 Masters, when he withdrew following a cold, wet, and windy third round due to complications with his foot and ankle, requiring surgery a few weeks later.

Though Woods has been recovering, he has also been caddying for his son and teasing fans with golf swing videos. He is now set to participate in the 2023 Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas, fully healed and ready to compete.

Interestingly, Woods chose the Hero World Challenge for his return from injury in 2017, following several back surgeries that had led him to consider retiring. In a dramatic turn, he finished ninth that year with three rounds scored in the 60s.

Photo by Ryan Young/PGA TOUR

In 2017, Rickie Fowler won the Hero World Challenge with a four-shot victory.

In the year that followed, Woods secured his first PGA Tour victory since 2013 at the Tour Championship, and nearly won the 2018 PGA Championship, finishing second. This set the stage for his remarkable 15th major title at Augusta National in 2019.

Today, things are different for Woods.

After a near-fatal car crash in 2021, Woods has faced walking challenges, leading many to speculate about his future in professional golf.

Despite the uncertainty, it’s unwise to underestimate his resolve.

So, what are your expectations for Woods next week?

Do you anticipate him breaking par?

Or simply finishing all 72 holes?

Ideally, Woods will complete all four rounds without issues and demonstrate flashes of his extraordinary past. This would make the 2023 Hero World Challenge a remarkable success. However, whether this is realistic remains uncertain.

What do you think? What are your expectations?

Share your thoughts in the comments below or on Twitter at @_PlayingThrough.

Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Follow him on Twitter @jack_milko for more golf coverage. Also, check out Playing Through on Instagram.