This year’s Tiger Woods hosted Hero World Challenge has attracted a field the envy of tournament directors around the globe.

Sixteen of the 18-player field are ranked within the top-23 and with the event returning again to the Albany Club in the Bahamas from November 29th to December 2nd.

World No. 1 and local resident Justin Rose heads those competing.

Tiger Woods ahead of the 2017 Hero World Challenge

Joining Rose is Dustin Johnson (World No. 3), Justin Thomas (4), Bryson DeChambeau (5) Jon Rahm (8), Rickie Fowler (9) Tommy Fleetwood (10) Jason Day (11) Xander Schauffele (12), Tiger Woods (13) Tony Finau (15) Bubba Watson (16) Patrick Reed (17) Webb Simpson (20), Alex Noren (21) and Hideki Matsuyama (23).

Two more players will be announced in coming weeks to bring the number competing to 18.

Fowler returns as defending champion and will Woods to tee-up in a first regular event since brilliantly capturing the PGA Tour’s season-ending Tour Championship.

A year ago, Woods drew sporting headlines around the globe in returning to golf for a first time since undergoing back fusion surgey.

He shot a round of 65 on route to a share of ninth place and in the process jumping 531 places on the World Rankings to No. 668 and now Woods returns to the Albany course remarkably ranked No. 13 in the world.