Everything you need to know about the Hero World Challenge

With the prestigious golf event coming up in December, here's everything you need to know about the Hero World Challenge...

Every December, golf fans around the world tune in to watch one of the best golf fixtures of the year – the Hero World Challenge, which starts on November 30th. While golfers gear up for this year's tournament, we're taking a look at the history of challenge to tell you what you need to know...

What is the Hero World Challenge?
It's an 18-player golf tournament that sees some of golf's greatest stars come together to play. The Challenge is a benefit event for the Tiger Woods Foundation, but while it's not included in any money rankings, there is prize money involved – the winner usually takes away around $1 million.

The Hero has 18 holes and is a no-cut, stroke-play event. It's previously been known as the Chevron World Challenge, as well as the Williams World Challenge and the Target World Challenge, thanks to several sponsor changes.

Where is the venue?
This year's Hero, like many others, is set at the specially-designed Albany development in the Bahamas, a luxury golfing resort.

Why was the challenge set up?
Tiger Woods set up the tournament in 1999 as a benefit for the Tiger Woods Foundation. The foundation runs community projects around America to help develop young people's health, education and welfare. As well as the Hero World Challenge, the Tiger Woods Foundation has also developed the Genesis Open (also known as the Los Angeles Open).

Who's taken part?
Originally, the tournament invited the top 11 available players from the Official World Golf Ranking to take part, but this was later increased to 18 players, bringing in winners from the four major PGA tournaments to up the competition.

Tiger Woods has won a fair few Hero World Challenges, donating his share of the prize fund to the Tiger Woods Foundation, but the tournament has seen plenty of other golfers take home the crown. The first winner in 1999 was Tom Lehman, but since then, golfers ranging from England's Luke Donald to Japan's Hideki Matsuyama have championed the challenge, too.

What's happening this year?
The big news this year is Tiger Woods's return to play after a nine-month hiatus following back surgery. Last time he played, in 2016, he finished 15th out of the 17 players in the tournament – a poor performance from one of golf's greats.

Out of the 18 players scheduled for this year's challenge, there are plenty of recognisable faces. Dustin Johnson and Justin Thomas return to the course, as well as defending champion Hideki Matsuyama. It's set to be an interesting tournament – so watch this space.