Golf Glance: Tiger Woods makes return at Hero World Challenge

Tiger Woods competes for the first time since April when he tees off at his Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas.

PGA TOUR

LAST TOURNAMENT: The RSM Classic (Ludvig Aberg)

THIS WEEK: Hero World Challenge, Albany, Bahamas, Nov. 30-Dec. 3

Course: Albany (Par 72, 7,449 yards)

Purse: $4.5M (Winner: $1M)

Defending Champion: Viktor Hovland (2022-23)

FedEx Cup Champion: Hovland

HOW TO FOLLOW

TV: Thursday-Friday, 1:30-4:30 p.m. ET (Golf Channel); Saturday, 12-2:30 p.m. (GC), 2:30-5 p.m. (NBC); Sunday, 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. (GC), 1:30-4:30 p.m. (NBC)

X: @TigerWoods

NOTES: An unofficial event, the invitational features a 20-player field. ... Tournament host and 82-time PGA Tour winner Tiger Woods is competing for the first time since withdrawing from the third round of the Masters in April due to plantar fasciitis. His only other start in 2023 was a T45 at The Genesis Invitational. Woods has won this event five times, the most recent being in 2011. ... Will Zalatoris is competing for the first time since going 0-3-0 at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play event. The first round will be 251 days since Zalatoris' last competitive round. ... World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler tees it up for the first time since the Ryder Cup in September. He is one of 13 players in the field who competed in the 2023 Ryder Cup. ... Players do not earn FedEx Cup points for this event but are awarded world rankings points. ... Jordan Spieth holds the tournament record of 262 set in his 2014 victory. ... Rickie Fowler holds the 18-hole record of 61 set in the final round in 2017.

BEST BETS: Viktor Hovland (+400 at BetMGM) is as hot as any player in the world. Up to No. 4 in the world rankings, Hovland is the two-time defending champion, won the FedEx Cup in August, the Ryder Cup in September and is coming off a T2 at the DP World Championship. ... Scottie Scheffler (+450) finished solo second to Hovland each of the past two years. However, this is his first stroke play event since the Tour Championship. ... Collin Morikawa (+750) is the only player in the field who has won this fall, claiming the Zozo Championship in Japan. ... Max Homa (+800) is coming off a win at the Nedbank Golf Challenge and finished T7 at the Fortinet Championship in his lone FedEx Cup Fall start.

PURSE PAYOUT

Winner: $1 million

Runner-up: $375,000

3rd: $225,000

4th: $150,000

5th: $135,000

6th: $120,000

7th: $115,000

8th: $113,000

9th: $112,000

10th: $110,000

11th: $109,000

12th: $108,000

13th: $107,000

14th: $106,000

15th: $105,000

16th: $104,000

17th: $103,000

18th: $102,000

19th: $101,000

20th: $100,000

NEXT TOURNAMENT: Sentry Tournament of Champions, Kapalua, Hawaii, Jan. 4-7

LPGA Tour

LAST TOURNAMENT: CME Group Tour Championship (Amy Yang)

THIS WEEK: Season Complete

Race to the CME Globe winner: Lilia Vu

NEXT TOURNAMENT: Tournament of Champions, Orlando, Fla., Jan. 18-21

PGA Tour Champions

LAST TOURNAMENT: Charles Schwab Cup Championship (Steven Alker)

THIS WEEK: Season Complete

Charles Schwab Cup champion: Steve Stricker

NEXT TOURNAMENT: Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai, Maui, Hawaii, Jan. 18-20

LIV Golf League

THIS WEEK: Season Complete

Series Winners: Talor Gooch (Individual), Crushers GC (Team)

NEXT TOURNAMENT: Mayakoba, Mexico, Feb. 2-4