There was a time when Tiger Woods ruled the OWGR ranking as the world’s number-one golfer for many years. In his prime Woods, has spent the most consecutive week, which is 281 on the list, and a total of 683 as number one so far. This is one of his ironclad records that no one has been able to break till now.
But after he took his sabbatical, his ranks fell drastically. Months of inactivity on the field have resulted in Woods being number 1328 on the OWGR. However, with his return this week, these figures could change dramatically.
Could Tiger Woods possibly rise in the OWGR charts in 2024?
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In February of this year, Woods’ rank fell to no. 1294. Then, earlier in November, his ranking tanked to his ‘lowest’: 1307. He has slipped a bit more and is resting at no. 1328. But now it is anticipated that his ranking could see a huge rise after the Hero World Challenge. If he wins the event, Woods could see his rank jump 1150 places, up to around 160–170.
Moreover, he has plans to play a decent amount of games in the next year. Mr.T has announced his plans in the Hero Challenge press conference, “I think that best scenario would be maybe a tournament a month. I think that’s realistic.” He indicated that he will start his 2024 season by playing at the Genesis Invitational in February and with another event in March “near the Players.”
If Woods does this, then according to Nosferatu on Twitter, Woods could jump big steps on the OWGR ladder. By winning every tournament, he is said to play in, Woods could reach no.35 after Genesis, no.10 after winning the Players, no.5 after winning the Masters, no.2 after the PGA Championship, and no. 1 after winning the US Open.
🐯Stat of 2024
Assuming @TigerWoods will PLAY & WIN ('course he will!) #HeroWorldChallenge and ALL those 6 events next year, this is his projected #OWGR trajectory back to the top!
Before Hero 1328
After Hero 165
Genesis 35
Players 10
Masters 5
PGA 2
US Open 1
The Open 1Amin!
— Nosferatu (@VC606) November 29, 2023
But all of this is only possible if he wins. Talking about the 8 signature events in the next season he said, “Again, we have set up right now the biggest events are one per month,” “It sets itself up for that. Now, I need to get myself ready for all that. I think this week is a big step in that direction.” The 82-time PGA Tour winner is gearing up well for it.
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Tiger Woods’ major changes for his return
To serve this purpose, the 15-time major winner has made a list of changes for his comeback. Not only did Woods switch an old TaylorMade driver for a new one, but he also swapped his caddie. After his injury in April Woods let go of his old looper Joe LaCava. And for his comeback this week, his caddie is his friend, Rob McNamara.
Also Read – Who Sponsors the Tiger Woods Foundation-Benefiting Hero World Challenge in 2023?
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How all these changes will affect his performance will be found out after the first round on Thursday. The chances of it happening are slim, but even if he comes last this week, even then his OWGR trajectory will improve to the top 1,000 after the final round on Sunday.
Watch this story – 2023 Hero World Challenge Tee Times and Pairings: When Will Tiger Woods Make His Long-Expected Return?