Tiger's Chevron World Challenge packs star-studded field
Last year's Chevron World Challenge was overshadowed somewhat by exterior events - you may recall that Tiger Woods failed to attend, having crashed his Cadillac Escalade into a fire hydrant a few days previously. Nonetheless, the tournament would appear to be back on track in 2010.
Two of this year's major champions, Graeme McDowell and Martin Kaymer, will be joining host Woods at the Californian event. A further 10 participants from this year's Ryder Cup will also be in attendance, with the tournament boasting an elite field of 18 of the world's best players in total.
And Woods himself was veritably c**k-a-hoop about the whole jamboree. "It's our 12th year at the Chevron World Challenge, and I'm really looking forward to returning to Southern California," the current world No. 1 said in a statement. "We have a very strong field with 14 of the top 20 players, so it should be a fantastic week of golf."
Aside from US Open winner McDowell and PGA Championship winner Kaymer, other big names already confirmed for the tournament include Steve Stricker, Matt Kuchar, Hunter Mahan, Anthony Kim, Zach Johnson, Sean O'Hair, Dustin Johnson, Bubba Watson and defending champion Jim Furyk from the USA, as well as European stars Ian Poulter, Rory McIlroy , Luke Donald and Paul Casey.
Two remaining slots in the field are yet to be announced, although Woods himself will be teeing it up for the first time since 2007, having missed the 2008 competition with a knee injury.
The event, which benefits the charitable Tiger Woods Foundation, is set to take place at Sherwood Country Club between December 2nd and 5th, also contributes towards world rankings points.
Which means that should Lee Westwood topple Woods from the No. 1 spot, as he is currently expected to do in three weeks time, the 14-time major winner may have an opportunity to strike back before the end of the year.
Of course, Westwood himself could yet turn out for the tournament, in one of the two remaining slots. True, the Englishman has spoken recently of his preference for more local competition, committing to Europe in 2011 at the expense of the PGA Tour.
But might the chance to cement his status as world No. 1 by overcoming Woods - at the Tiger's own tournament, no less - be enough to see Westwood California-bound?
Tags: