The invitation-only nature of the Hero World Challenge makes every absence sting a little harder—especially when the missing names include major champions and Ryder Cup stars. The 2025 edition features one of the strongest 20-man fields in golf, with 19 players inside the OWGR top 40. Yet five marquee names won’t be walking the fairways at Albany Golf Club from December 4-7.

Tiger Woods

The tournament host, Tiger Woods , won’t be teeing it up for the second year in a row. Woods withdrew as he continues recovering from his seventh back surgery. A lumbar disc replacement at the L4/L5 level took place on October 10, 2025, at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York.

This marks a significant shift for the five-time Hero World Challenge winner. His absence inside the ropes leaves a

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