Tiger Woods stirs 2024 hopes as unlikely comeback shows promise

Encouraging return at the Hero World Challenge raises prospect of 15-time major champion being a force next year

A recent victory in a high school golf event for Charlie Woods felt like it would accelerate a changing of the guard. The 14-year-old has made quiet but steady progress in the sport where his father, Tiger, has iconic status. It will be easier for the golf world to accept the departure of Woods Sr from mainstream competition if the prospect of his son taking on the mantle is a realistic one.

Characteristically, Tiger has other ideas. His return at the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas has been his most encouraging since the car accident of early 2021 that threatened far more than his career. By the time Woods cut short his visit to Augusta National in April, it felt as if professional closure was finally upon us. There seemed little point in Woods placing his body through the most severe strain without being able to complete 72 holes. He was not seen between April and November.