2024 Hero World Challenge Preview & Picks

The Hero World Challenge, an unofficial PGA TOUR event held annually after the FedExCup Fall, returns to Albany in The Bahamas for the ninth consecutive year, marking its 25th edition overall.

Pre-Tournament Storylines:

Tiger Woods

Tournament host Tiger Woods will not compete in this year’s Hero World Challenge as he continues recovering from microdecompression surgery on his lumbar spine for nerve impingement, which he underwent last September. Woods last competed on the PGA TOUR at the 2024 Open Championship. A five-time winner of the Hero World Challenge, all at Sherwood Country Club, his most recent victory came in 2011. In his latest appearance at the event, Woods finished 18th at the 2023 Hero World Challenge.

Scottie Scheffler

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler returns to competition for the first time since the Presidents Cup, capping an extraordinary 2024 season. Scheffler, the defending champion at Albany, secured seven victories this year, including a gold medal at the Paris Olympics, and recorded 16 top-10 finishes in 19 starts. A nominee for the Jack Nicklaus Award as PGA TOUR Player of the Year, Scheffler is aiming to become the first player to win the honor three consecutive times since Tiger Woods achieved the feat from 2005 to 2007.

Tournament Information:

• Dates: December 5th – December 8th, 2024
• Location: New Providence, Nassau, Bahamas
• Course: Albany Golf Club
• Course Type: Coastal
• Par: 72 (5x 3’s / 8x 4’s / 5x 5’s)
• Length: 7,449 yards
• Format: 72-hole stroke play
• Greens: TifEagle bermudagrass .085”
• Fairways: 419 bermudagrass .400”
• Rough: 419 bermudagrass 2”
• Bunkers: 52
• Water Hazard(s): 3 (In-Play on 5 Holes)
• Average Green Size: 4,500 sq. ft.
• Stimpmeter: 12.0 ft.
• Purse/ Winner: $5,000,000 /$1,000,000
• FedEx Cup Points: No FedExCup points are awarded, but Official World Golf Ranking points will be awarded
• Field: 20 Players
• Cut: No Cut
• Playoff Format: Sudden Death

Course Architect:

• Course Architect: Ernie Els (2010)
• Renovations: N/A

Comparable Courses & Greens:

• Comparable Courses:
  • Waialae Country Club – Sony Open in Hawaii – RESULTS
  • Black Desert Resort – Black Desert Championship – RESULTS
  • El Camaleón Golf Course at Mayakoba – World Wide Technology Championship – RESULTS
  • Port Royal Golf Course – Butterfield Bermuda Championship – RESULTS

• Designer Link (Ernie Els (2010)):
  • Wentworth Golf Club (West Course) – Ernie Els Renovation (2009) – BMW PGA Championship

• Comparable Yardage (7,449 Yards):
  • TPC San Antonio (Oaks Course) – 7,438 Yards – Valero Texas Open
  • Vidanta Vallarta – 7,456 Yards – Mexico Open at Vidanta
  • The Country Club of Jackson – 7,461 Yards – Sanderson Farms Championship
  • Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge – 7,466 Yards – Arnold Palmer Invitational

• Comparable Greens (TifEagle bermudagrass .085”):
  • Sea Island Golf Club (Seaside Course) – Tif Eagle bermudagrass .090” – RSM Classic
  • Plantation Course at Kapalua – TifEagle bermudagrass .115” – Sentry Tournament of Champions
  • PGA National Resort (The Champion) – TifEagle bermudagrass .115” – The Honda Classic
  • Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge – TifEagle bermudagrass .110” – Arnold Palmer Invitational

• Comparable Average Green Size (4,500 sq. ft.):
  • PGA WEST (La Quinta Country Club) – 4,000 sq. ft. – The American Express
  • TPC Southwind – 4,300 sq. ft. – FedEx St. Jude Championship
  • Torrey Pines Golf Course (South Course) – 5,000 sq. ft. – Farmers Insurance Open
  • PGA WEST (Pete Dye Stadium Course) – 5,000 sq. ft. – The American Express
  • Colonial Country Club – 5,000 sq. ft. – Charles Schwab Challenge
  • Muirfield Village Golf Club – 5,000 sq. ft. – the Memorial Tournament
  • TPC River Highlands – 5,000 sq. ft. – Travelers Championship

TV Information (all times ET):

• Round 1: Thursday, December 5th, 2024
  • Golf Channel – 1:30 PM – 4:30 PM
• Round 2: Friday, December 6th, 2024
  • Golf Channel – 1:30 PM – 4:30 PM
• Round 3: Saturday, December 7th, 2024
  • Golf Channel – 12:00 PM – 2:30 PM
  • NBC – 2:30 PM – 5:00 PM
• Round 4: Sunday, December 8th, 2024
  • Golf Channel – 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM
  • NBC – 1:30 PM – 4:30 PM

Weather:

Course/ Tournament History:

The Hero World Challenge, founded in 1999 and hosted by Tiger Woods, is an exclusive annual tournament featuring a select field of the world’s top golfers. The tournament made its debut in 2000 with two stagings: the first in January at Grayhawk Golf Club in Arizona and the second in December at Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks, California. It remained at Sherwood until 2014, moved to Isleworth Golf & Country Club in Florida for one year, and found its current home at Albany in The Bahamas in 2015. Known for its competitive field and picturesque setting, the event is a highlight of the late-year golf calendar. Though unofficial for FedExCup points, it offers world-ranking points and a substantial purse. Proceeds benefit the TGR Foundation and other charities, further enhancing its impact beyond the game.

Previous Tournament Venues:

Previous Tournament Names:

Tournament Records:

• 72-Hole Record (Hero World Challenge):
  • 262, Jordan Spieth (2014)
• 18-Hole Record (Hero World Challenge):
  • 61, Rickie Fowler (Round 4, 2017)

• Largest Margin of Victory (Hero World Challenge):
  • 10 Strokes – Jordan Spieth (Isleworth Country Club, 2014)
• Largest Margin of Victory (Albany Golf Course):
  • 4 Strokes – Jon Rahm (2018), Rickie Fowler (2017)

Course Records:

• 72-Hole Record (Albany Golf Course):
  • 263, Bubba Watson (2015)
• 18-Hole Record (Albany Golf Course):
  • 61, Rickie Fowler (Round 4, 2017)

Course Guide/ Scorecard:

Albany Golf Club is a par-72 course stretching 7,449 yards, offering a distinctive layout with five par-3s, eight par-4s, and five par-5s. Situated along the ocean, it combines the characteristics of both links and desert-style courses, creating a unique challenge. The course is notoriously difficult to handicap due to the variety of playing styles that have succeeded here. Some winners have relied on exceptional short games and putting, while others have leveraged their power off the tee to dominate. Despite these differences, one constant remains: a low score is essential to contend. Players must seize every scoring opportunity to have a chance at victory.

The five Par 3’s range between 179 yards and 217 yards. At the 2023 Hero World Challenge, only two holes (No. 2 & No. 12), had a scoring average over par.

No. 8, 217 yards, Par 3: A long Par 3 usually played with the wind into off the left. Missing the green to the left will leave a difficult chip to an elevated green.

No. 12, 204 yards, Par 3: A signature hole at Albany tucked away at the furthest end of the golf course, this long Par 3 with a slight peninsula green makes this a great hole and very difficult.

No. 17, 189 yards, Par 3: The signature hole, with the finish line in sight, this picturesque hole has a massive body of water to its left with a front bunker to guard it and a small green.

Three of the eight Par 4’s range between 450 – 500 yards. No. 14 is the shortest Par 4 listed at 307 yards with the longest being No. 13, at 513 yards.

No. 14, 307 yards, Par 4: All about risk and reward, the Par 4 can have one go for the green or layup to have a short approach to the green. However, if not accurate, the large waste area awaits on the left of the hole as well as a significant waste mound on the right. The green is a very small target with a false front to capture short shots.

No. 16, 483 yards, Par 4: This hole is the hardest of them all, measuring 485 yards and usually playing into the prevailing wind, which makes it difficult to hit in two, even for the most skillful golfers. The drive is a little tricky with one deep fairway bunker on the right and waste areas line both sides of the hole. The approach shot is to an elevated green with bunkers both short right and left of the hole, making any shot with a long iron or fairway wood very daunting.

No. 18, 471 yards, Par 4: A very strong finishing hole, this 470-yard hole has water down the left-hand side to the green. To the right is a lone fairway bunker that collects any shot straying right off the fairway. The approach shot is to a narrow green with a grass swale to the right, making an up and down very difficult.

The five Par 5’s are No. 3, 6, 9, 11, and 15. Only one of the Par 5’s (No. 9) is listed over 600 yards. All of the Par 5’s had a scoring average below par at the 2023 Hero World Challenge.

No. 9, 632 yards, Par 5: A beautiful and long challenging Par 5. A demanding tee shot, with a well-positioned fairway bunker on the left and water all down the right side. If avoided, one is faced with a long second shot, again with bunkers down the left and water on the right. It’s also a difficult approach, with a narrow green entrance. The bunker on the left is easy to find, leaving a very hard up and down.

No. 11, 592 yards, Par 5: A very long Par 5 with well-placed bunkers throughout. Unable to carry the pot bunkers from the tee, playing up the left side gives a good angle for a second shot. The second shot is not reachable for most. Still, it has to be a well-executed shot to set up a favorable approach into the slightly elevated green with two challenging bunkers on the right side.

No. 15, 552 yards, Par 5: This reachable Par 5 demands a straight, accurate tee shot, with a large waste area to the right of the landing area and fairway bunkers down the left-hand side. It is a challenging task to hit this fairway. Navigate the approach shot around or over a high waste mound 40 yards short left of the green; once past that, the green is in sight with bunkers both left and right and a swale to the back right of the green.

Featured/ Signature Hole(s): 12, 17

Key Statistics:

As the Hero World Challenge takes place at Albany Golf Club, here are the key statistics to keep an eye on for this week’s event.

Per DataGolf, this is the favored skillset at Albany Golf Club.

• Good Drives Gained
  • Success this week will hinge on players’ ability to position themselves effectively off the tee. While the course’s considerable length underscores the significance of distance, precision holds equal importance.
  • Leaders in this category in the last 24 Rounds:
    • Scottie Scheffler
    • Russell Henley
    • Brian Harman
    • Akshay Bhatia
    • Aaron Rai
    • Matthieu Pavon
    • Tom Kim
    • Sepp Straka
    • Keegan Bradley
    • Patrick Cantlay

• Strokes Gained: Approach
  • A strong iron game is crucial for success at Albany Golf Club, as demonstrated by recent tournament history.
  • Leaders in this category in the last 24 Rounds:
    • Scottie Scheffler
    • Nick Dunlap
    • Tom Kim
    • Aaron Rai
    • Brian Harman
    • Justin Thomas
    • Russell Henley
    • Sungjae Im
    • Ludvig Aberg
    • Patrick Cantlay

• Strokes Gained: Total (Moderate Conditions)
  • The weather forecast predicts daily winds of 10-20 mph, giving an edge to players skilled at shaping shots in both directions.
  • Leaders in this category in the last 24 Rounds:
    • Scottie Scheffler
    • Sahith Theegala
    • Sam Burns
    • Patrick Cantlay
    • Brian Harman
    • Sungjae Im
    • Keegan Bradley
    • Wyndham Clark
    • Ludvig Aberg
    • Russell Henley

• Strokes Gained: Putting (Bermudagrass)
  • The Greens at Albany Golf Club are TifEagle bermudagrass .085”.
  • Leaders in this category in the last 24 Rounds:
    • Jason Day
    • Akshay Bhatia
    • Russell Henley
    • Sam Burns
    • Brian Harman
    • Sungjae Im
    • Wyndham Clark
    • Patrick Cantlay
    • Scottie Scheffler
    • Sahith Theegala

• Par 3 Strokes Gained
  • There are five par 3’s at Albany Golf Club more than a typical course. Three of the five Par 3’s range between 175-200 Yards.
  • Leaders in this category in the last 24 Rounds:
    • Wyndham Clark
    • Sam Burns
    • Sepp Straka
    • Matthieu Pavon
    • Scottie Scheffler
    • Keegan Bradley
    • Russell Henley
    • Jason Day
    • Ludvig Aberg
    • Tom Kim

• Par 4 Scoring: 450-500 Yards (x3)
  • Three of the eight Par 4’s at Albany Golf Club range between 450-500 Yards.
  • Leaders in this category in the last 24 Rounds:
    • Russell Henley
    • Sungjae Im
    • Justin Thomas
    • Brian Harman
    • Robert MacIntyre
    • Scottie Scheffler
    • Cameron Young
    • Jason Day
    • Patrick Cantlay
    • Ludvig Aberg

• Par 5 Strokes Gained
  • There are five par 3’s at Albany Golf Club more than a typical course. Three of the five Par 5’s range between 550-600 Yards.
  • Leaders in this category in the last 24 Rounds:
    • Scottie Scheffler
    • Patrick Cantlay
    • Sungjae Im
    • Ludvig Aberg
    • Sahith Theegala
    • Aaron Rai
    • Nick Dunlap
    • Cameron Young
    • Jason Day
    • Justin Thomas

• Birdies or Better Gained
  • To be in contention at Albany Golf Club this week, players must capitalize on every scoring opportunity. Since this event has moved to Albany Golf Club, the winning score has been -16 or above each time.
  • Leaders in this category in the last 24 Rounds:
    • Sam Burns
    • Tom Kim
    • Scottie Scheffler
    • Nick Dunlap
    • Ludvig Aberg
    • Sungjae Im
    • Patrick Cantlay
    • Wyndham Clark
    • Robert MacIntyre
    • Sahith Theegala

• Scrambling Gained
  • The course features wide fairways but places a premium on precision around the greens. Albany is known for its undulating putting surfaces, deep bunkers, and coastal winds, all of which increase the difficulty of getting up and down when players miss greens.
  • Leaders in this category in the last 24 Rounds:
    • Wyndham Clark
    • Akshay Bhatia
    • Justin Thomas
    • Sam Burns
    • Cameron Young
    • Sungjae Im
    • Sahith Theegala
    • Aaron Rai
    • Robert MacIntyre
    • Brian Harman

• Proximity Gained: 175-200 Yards
  • Most approach shots at Albany Golf Club come from the 175-200 Yard range at a volume much higher than the PGA Tour average.

• Leaders in Proximity Gained: 175-200 Yards in the last 24 Rounds:
  • Ludvig Aberg
  • Sungjae Im
  • Wyndham Clark
  • Nick Dunlap
  • Robert MacIntyre
  • Scottie Scheffler
  • Justin Thomas
  • Matthieu Pavon
  • Russell Henley
  • Akshay Bhatia

• Comparable Courses and Event History
  • According to the Data Golf Course History Tool, previous experience at Albany Golf Club has shown to be beneficial for players.

• Leaders in this category (Scoring Average Per Round):
  • Scottie Scheffler
  • Justin Thomas
  • Brian Harman
  • Sepp Straka
  • Cameron Young
  • Sam Burns
  • Patrick Cantlay
  • Sungjae Im
  • Keegan Bradley
  • Jason Day

The Field:

This year’s Hero World Challenge will feature a total of 20 competitors.

• Here is the current basis of qualification for each entrant this week:
  • Field Size and Tournament Pointers

• Previous Winners in the Field (Event):
  • Scottie Scheffler (’23)

• Debutants in the Field (Event):
  • Aaron Rai, Akshay Bhatia, Ludvig Aberg, Matthieu Pavon, Nick Dunlap, Robert MacIntyre, Russell Henley, Sahith Theegala

• Sponsors Exemptions:
  • Nick Dunlap, Sepp Straka, Jason Day

• Notable Withdraws/ Changes:
  • Tony Finau (W/D)

Tee Times:

The Odds:

Tournament Props:

Playoff:

• Will There Be a Playoff at the Hero World Challenge? (Yes +350 / No -500)

Since moving to Albany Golf Club in 2014, the Hero World Challenge has never been decided by a playoff.

Hole-in-One:

• Will There Be A Hole-in-One at the Hero World Challenge? (Yes +175 / No -250)

Last year at the Hero World Challenge, there was one hole in one recorded on Hole No. 17 by Lucas Glover.

Recent Horses for Courses (Event):

Recent Donkeys for Courses (Event):

Previous Winners Scores and Prices:

• 2023: Scottie Scheffler (-20)
  • Price: 17-4

• 2022: Viktor Hovland (-16)
  • Price: 16-1

• 2021: Viktor Hovland (-18)
  • Price: 10-1

• 2020: Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
  • Price: N/A

• 2019: Henrik Stenson (-18)
  • Price: 30-1

Previous Winners Incoming Form (Last 5 Starts):

• 2023: Scottie Scheffler
  • T6 – TOUR Championship (PGA)
  • T2 – BMW Championship (PGA)
  • T31 – FedEx St. Jude Championship (PGA)
  • T23 – Open Championship (MAJ)
  • T3 – Genesis Scottish Open (PGA)

• 2022: Viktor Hovland
  • T10 – World Wide Technology Championship (PGA)
  • T21 – THE CJ CUP in South Carolina (PGA)
  • T5 – ZOZO Championship (PGA)
  • T23 – DP World Tour Championship (DPWT)
  • T34 – DS Automobiles Italian Open (DPWT)

• 2021: Viktor Hovland
  • WON – World Wide Technology Championship (PGA)
  • T18 – THE CJ CUP (PGA)
  • T44 – Shriner Children’s Open (PGA)
  • T49 – BMW PGA CHAMPIONSHIP (DPWT)
  • T5 – TOUR Championship (PGA)

• 2020: Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic

• 2019: Henrik Stenson
  • T20 – WGC-HSBC Champions (PGA)
  • MC – Houston Open (PGA)
  • T44 – DP World Tour Championship, Dubai (DPWT)
  • T17 – Nedbank Golf Challenge (DPWT)
  • T17 – BMW PGA Championship (DWPT)

Previous Winners Finishes at Event:

2023: Scottie Scheffler

2022: Viktor Hovland

2021: Viktor Hovland

– Tournament Debut

2020: Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic

2019: Henrik Stenson

Picks:

Outrights

Ludvig Aberg (+1000) – DraftKings

Ludvig Aberg had several close calls this season but ultimately fell short of securing a win, finishing runner-up at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, Masters Tournament, and BMW Championship. After undergoing knee surgery, he made his return at the RSM Classic, finishing T17 and narrowly missing out on defending his title. Despite the setback, Aberg showed glimpses of brilliance, posting two rounds of 63. This week, he will make his tournament debut.

Justin Thomas (+1000) – DraftKings

After a resurgent 2023, Justin Thomas didn’t quite achieve the season he envisioned in 2024. He started strong with three consecutive top-15 finishes but managed only five top-20 results for the remainder of the season. However, Thomas finished the year on a high note with a T14 at the TOUR Championship, carrying that momentum into his lone FedExCup Fall start, where he finished T2 at the ZOZO Championship in Japan.

This marks Thomas’ sixth appearance at Albany Golf Club, where he has recorded four consecutive top-5 finishes. His best performance at this event came last year, when he secured a 3rd-place finish.

Sungjae Im (+1400) – DraftKings

Sungjae Im faced a challenging start to the 2024 season, managing just two top-20 finishes before the Masters. However, his performance improved significantly after Augusta, highlighted by a victory on the KPGA Korean Tour and nine additional top-20 finishes, including a 7th-place result at the TOUR Championship. During the FedExCup Fall, Im made one start, earning a T13 finish at the ZOZO Championship in Japan.

This week marks his second appearance at Albany Golf Club, where he previously impressed with a T8 finish last year.

Matchups

Brian Harman (-130) over Cameron Young – DraftKings

Brian Harman enters the Hero World Challenge fresh off a T25 finish at the RSM Classic. He has played in this tournament once before, securing an impressive T8 finish. Harman’s consistency with his driving and iron play positions him as a strong contender in this limited-field event.

Cameron Young, on the other hand, will make his first start since finishing T43 at the BMW Championship. He faced struggles late in the season, particularly with his iron play. Young has competed in this tournament twice, delivering a standout 3rd-place finish in 2022 and a T15 result in 2023. However, he ranks near the bottom of the field in several key metrics this week, including SG: Putting on Bermudagrass (20th), Good Drives Gained (20th), Par 3 Scoring (18th), and Proximity from 175-200 Yards (19th), which could present challenges in a field of elite players.

Best of luck, and as always you can find me on Twitter @GatorBetting and Instagram @Gator_Sports_Betting. Any feedback whether positive or negative is always encouraged.