The PGA Tour has officially ended, but unofficially, it's just getting started. Tiger Woods makes his return this week at the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas, a tournament Woods hosts. He will play competitive golf for the first time since he withdrew from the Dubai Desert Classic in early 2017. What followed was a tumultuous few months that included his fourth back surgery and a DUI. But all of that is in the rearview mirror now, and Woods sounds ready to get after it again.

Let's take a look at this week's contest.

Event information

What: Hero World Challenge | Where: Albany, Bahamas | When: Nov. 30 - Dec. 3

Field and odds

  • Justin Thomas: 9-2
  • Jordan Spieth: 6-1
  • Dustin Johnson: 6-1
  • Rickie Fowler: 8-1
  • Justin Rose: 10-1
  • Brooks Koepka: 10-1
  • Hideki Matsuyama: 12-1

Field strength: A

This is about as good as it gets for an 18-player field. Of the top 10 players in the world, eight of them will be in attendance. Only Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm will not be playing. Plus, we get the juice of Tiger Woods. The only thing missing is a trash-talking Phil Mickelson.

Three stories to watch

1. Can Woods hold up? Woods' language has been encouraging. He said on Tuesday that even though he returned this time last year, he was still in some pain and still incredibly slow with his swing as a result of it. He claims that has changed and that he's hitting the ball as far as he used to. I'm in a perpetual state of "I'll believe it when I see it" when it comes to Woods, but the talk thus far has been pretty good.

2. Thomas as the favorite: This is the first time I remember Thomas being the favorite in a field that includes big dogs like Spieth and D.J. That's a sign of his cemented status among the top players in the world as much as anything else is. Also, this is great.

3. Tiger 65 watch: Remember, Woods shot a 65 in the second round of this tournament last year. He said looking back on that he felt like his swing was in slo-motion. So he's definitely capable of doing something like that again because this is an easy course. If he does, and the back holds, the hype going in to 2018 will be absolutely undeniable.

Past winners

  • 2016: Hideki Matsuyama
  • 2015: Bubba Watson
  • 2014: Jordan Spieth
  • 2013: Zach Johnson
  • 2012: Graeme McDowell

A solid list, even if most of these guys aren't even playing this year. 

Hero World Challenge picks

Winner: Justin Thomas has won everything he's looked at of late. This is his first time to play the Hero World Challenge, but he'll be juiced up by a tee time with Tiger Woods on Thursday. You could this about a handful of others in the field, but Thomas will be able to overpower a not-very-penal Albany course. Odds: 9-2

Top 10: Justin Rose is comfortable playing in the area, and there has been no hotter golfer over the last month than him. He won the WGC-HSBC Champions as well as the Turkish Airlines and nearly won the World Tour Championship earlier this month. Odds: 10-1

How will Tiger fare? I've been encouraged by what Woods has said thus far, and I think his swing looks a little bit better but is still not great. I would be surprised if he didn't play a little bit better than last year, though, and if he catches a couple of guys on the right (or, I guess, wrong) day, then I could see him finishing something like T13. Odds: 33-1