Tiger Woods will receive a sponsor exemption to the Hero World Challenge, a tournament he hosts that benefits the Tiger Woods Foundation, after the PGA Tour approved his request. The exemption allows the Hero World Challenge to award world ranking points to its 18 competitors, even though small-field events typically require each player to be within the OWGR's top 50.
Woods has won the event five times since its inception in 1999. The tournament will be held at Albany in the Bahamas Dec. 3-6.
"Given the fact that the Tiger Woods Foundation owns and runs the event, that Tiger hosts the event, that he's been critical to the success of the Tiger Woods Foundation and he's won the tournament five times, we felt the request was reasonable,'' executive vice president of the PGA Tour Ty Votaw told ESPN.com. "After consulting with the Official World Golf Ranking people, we approved it.''
The Hero World Challenge's 18-man field is composed of the year's major champions, the top 11 available players in the OWGR, two sponsor exemptions and the defending champion.
MORE FROM GOLFWEEK
Tiger Woods: I'm 'very close' to winning again
Rory McIlroy films trick-shot video with Bryan Bros. at Whistling Straits
Tiger Woods rises in Official World Golf Ranking after Quicken Loans National
