Tuesday 2 December 2014 23:06, UK
He’s back! After 16 weeks away from competitive golf, Tiger Woods makes a welcome return to action as he hosts his annual Hero World Challenge.
The elite 18-player tournament is traditionally played in California, but the venue has been switched to Woods’ home club at Isleworth in Florida in an event which also incorporates the Tavistock Cup.
This week’s field is one of the strongest in the tournament’s 14-year history, with 12 of the world’s top-20 players in attendance and competing for a total prize fund of $3.5m.
World No 2 Henrik Stenson is the top-ranked player in the field, and the Swede lines up as Sky Bet’s 11/2 favourite as he looks to build on his impressive win at the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.
Home advantage is hardly a factor as the majority of the players on show are based locally, including Stenson and his European Ryder Cup team-mates Justin Rose and Graeme McDowell.
The Isleworth layout often plays hard and fast with very slick greens, which could play into the hands of Jordan Spieth following his runaway victory in similar conditions at the Australian Open.
However, it would take an extraordinary effort for Spieth (10/1) to record back-to-back wins as jetlag enters the equation, while Stenson admitted in Dubai that he had “hit the wall” at the end of a long season.
Rose managed a tie for fourth at the BMW Masters last month and enjoyed a strong finish in Dubai, sharing second place alongside Rory McIlroy, and he merits consideration at 13/2.
But it’s McDowell who arguably stands out the most given his ability to prosper on tougher courses, especially against high-quality fields.
The former US Open champion enjoys the more relaxed surroundings in this event, upstaging Woods and Co in winning it in 2010 and 2012, and he has also produced some of his best golf at Isleworth in his Tavistock Cup appearances.
McDowell represents excellent value at 18/1, while a refreshed Patrick Reed could also prove a dangerous outsider after he was a late addition to the field following the withdrawal of Jim Furyk.
Reed has enjoyed a decent break since finishing tied for 22nd at the WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai, and the confident American Ryder Cup star cannot be overlooked at 28/1.
As for Woods, it is a venture into the unknown in terms of his form as he tees up for the first time since missing the cut at the PGA Championship in early August.
The five-time Challenge winner has only recently started working with biomechanics specialist Chris Como as he looks to find a golf swing that takes less of a toll on his body.
When you consider his extended break from the game following his aborted comeback from back surgery earlier this year, his chances of ending 2014 with a positive performance can only be described as uncertain.
This is also a problem for the odds makers at Sky Bet, who have tentatively offered Woods at 12/1 – a generous compromise based on the unknown state of Tiger’s game.
As John Rhodes, Sky Bet golf manager, explains: "On his day and fit, Tiger would be the favourite, because he's clearly the best player in the field. But with his injury and lack of form earlier in the year, few punters would be willing to back Woods at a short price.
“Basically, 12/1 is a price that might catch the attention of our punters. Nobody would be backing him if he was 11/2 or 5/1, because there's so much uncertainty around him.”
So there you have it. It’s just as difficult to produce a price for Woods as to back him.
See how Woods fares on his return to action when live first-round coverage of the Hero World Challenge gets underway on Thursday at 7pm on Sky Sports 4 - your home of golf.
