Questions swirl around Tiger's return

— -- This week Tiger Woods returns to competitive golf for the first time since missing the cut at the PGA Championship in August to a tournament that he hosts (the Hero World Challenge) and that benefits his foundation. The event was previously contested in California at Sherwood Country Club, but this year it heads east to Isleworth Golf and Country Club in Florida, a venue Woods previously called his home track.

So what will Woods look like when he takes to the tee Thursday to hit his first shots under tournament pressure since the middle of the summer? And where might he finish in the 18-man field?

Our scribes dive into those topics and more in the latest edition of Four-Ball.

1. What's the No. 1 thing you'll be watching for around Tiger this week?

ESPN.com senior golf analyst Michael Collins: For me, the most important thing to watch for is how Tiger hits it Saturday. There will be so much adrenaline flowing Thursday that I expect a little letdown Friday. But how he plays Saturday will show us truly how healthy his back is so far.

ESPN.com senior golf writer Farrell Evans: What golf swing will he utilize for the event? How much of the old and new will he bring to competition?

ESPN.com senior golf writer Bob Harig: His health, specifically his back. Are there any noticeable lingering issues? At this point, that is the biggest thing Tiger faces in his return. Nobody should expect a sharp performance in his first tournament in nearly four months, but he needs to show that back problems won't get in the way of working on his game.

ESPN.com senior golf editor Kevin Maguire: His health. There were serious questions about whether he came back too soon from March 31 back surgery to play in the Quicken Loans National at the end of June because it benefited his foundation. Well, guess what? He hasn't played under tour conditions since having more health issues and missing the cut at the PGA Championship at Valhalla yet he's playing this week ... and the tournament benefits his foundation. That's commendable for someone who's trying to improve young people's lives (especially because he donates his winnings to the foundation), but if he's still realistically trying to catch Jack Nicklaus' major championship record of 18, a little more time off might have been a better idea.

SportsCenter coordinating producer John Ziomek: I'm most curious to see how healthy Tiger looks. Is he recovered from his back injury? How does he look on full shots? Is he ready for the 2015 season and to compete at the majors? The Open Championship returns to St. Andrews, which might be his best chance at another major win. Plus, I'm interested to see how he addresses the Dan Jenkins controversy and what he has to say about the U.S. disaster at the Ryder Cup.

2. More likely Tiger finish this week in Florida, top five or bottom five in the 18-man field Hero World Challenge?

Collins: Bottom five is a realistic expectation for a guy who hasn't played competitive golf for so long. It is Tiger Woods, so if he finishes top five most of us will be shaking our heads and smiling with disbelief.

Evans: Top five. Isleworth is a home course for him.

Harig: Not sure that either of those is more likely. We're likely looking at something middle of the pack. But if forced to choose, you'd have to go with the bottom five, simply because of the long layoff and the uncertainty about how much Tiger has been able to work on his game.

Maguire: Bottom five. That's hard to say, especially because he knows Isleworth like the back of his hand, but the simple fact that he hasn't played under tournament conditions in nearly four months makes me hedge that bet and go with the lower expectation.

Ziomek: I'm going top five with Tiger. This tournament means something to him both as the host, the fact that it benefits his charity, plus he has something to prove. He's returning to competitive golf for the first time since shutting it down following a missed cut at the PGA Championship and wants to show that he's healthy and ready for a strong 2015 season. Not to mention it's a course he's familiar with (Isleworth) and he finished second last year in this event, albeit at Sherwood Country Club.

3. Bigger story this coming week, Tiger answering questions about his new 'swing consultant' or the fallout from the Dan Jenkins fake interview?

Collins: I think after the press finds out why he wrote the response to the Jenkins piece it'll go away and the bigger (longer-lasting) story will be Chris Como. There are many more questions about him than Jenkins.

Evans: The swing consultant conversation is more interesting because it impacts his future as a player and major champion.

Harig: The swing consultant. And perhaps that announcement was related to shift the story. Tiger would likely prefer not to speak about either subject, but he certainly understands the latter and will be prepared for those questions.

Maguire: The one that might get more attention would be Woods' response to the Jenkins fake interview, but the story that will have a larger impact on his career and could see if his fortunes might change heading into 2015 will be the hiring of Como. Woods' swing will continue to be under major scrutiny and Como's work with the former world No. 1 will be at the top of that list both this week and in the coming months.

Ziomek: The bigger story is Tiger's reaction to the Dan Jenkins fake interview, but Tiger is likely to avoid that line of questioning at his news conference and refer to the response he posted on Derek Jeter's website The Players' Tribune. I'm hoping Jenkins is in attendance for the news conference just to see Tiger's reaction when he asks a question. Realizing Jenkins likely won't be there and Tiger's likely avoidance of this line of questioning, the "swing consultant" story will unfortunately take center stage. Here's hoping the same monotone Tiger answer of "I'm getting close" doesn't return in the post-Sean Foley era.

4. Fact or fiction: The Hero World Challenge should continue to award world ranking points.

Collins: Fiction. Can we please just have one event at the end of the year that's just for fun? Was it that long ago when golf actually had a silly season? It was a whole "season" of tournaments that didn't count, but got great fields because they were just fun and guys could goof off and be themselves.

Evans: Fiction. Make it a regular tour event or WGC. Otherwise, it's a glorified corporate outing for players that had good seasons.

Harig: Fact. As long as the world ranking rules permit it -- and the tournament complies with those rules with a minimum field size and inviting only players among the top 50 in the world -- it makes sense to offer ranking points. It gives the event more meaning, something to play for other than the prize money.

Maguire: Fiction. This event is pure and simple a silly season money grab, with the winner taking home in the neighborhood of a million bucks. And there is nothing wrong with that. However, a tournament with such a small field can have a big impact on who makes it to the Olympics -- and believe me, with the world rankings determining who walks with the athletes in Rio in 2016, it will have an impact. That, more than anything else, is the most bothersome issue around the world rankings this week.

Ziomek: Fiction. It's ridiculous that ranking points are awarded in a tournament that has just 18 competitors, including four major winners, 11 from the top of the world rankings, the defending champ and special exemptions. The tournament is nothing more than an exhibition and a chance for the rich to get richer.