Tiger to miss Hero World Challenge while recovering from back surgery

Tiger Woods won't be in the field for the Hero World Challenge in early December as he continues to recover from his latest back surgery, he announced.

Woods hosts the event annually in The Bahamas. While it's not an official TOUR tournament, he typically invites all the sport's biggest names.

The 15-time major champion underwent microdecompression surgery of the lumbar spine for nerve impingement in September. It was his sixth back procedure.

Woods said afterward he hoped to be healthy enough to play in the Hero World Challenge as well as the PNC Championship - a parent-child tournament he participates in with his son, Charlie. There's no word yet on his status for the PNC, which begins Dec. 19.

Tiger only made five appearances last season - the Genesis Invitational and all four majors. He withdrew from the Genesis due to illness and missed the cut in all other tournaments except for the Masters.