There is a buzz over in the United States this week as the great Tiger Woods returns to golf when he hosts the Hero World Challenge, a tournament with a select field which features some of the best players in the game.
Viktor Hovland made a successful defence of the title a year ago and he is back in the field looking for a three-peat in what is one of the better invitational tournaments of the year and a great way to conclude the golfing year.
Recent Winners
2022 – Viktor Hovland
2021 – Viktor Hovland
2019 – Henrik Stenson
2018 – Jon Rahm
2017 – Rickie Fowler
2016 – Hideki Matsuyama
2015 – Bubba Watson
2014 – Jordan Spieth
2013 – Zach Johnson
2012 – Graeme McDowell
The Course
We are back at the Albany Course in the Bahamas for the latest staging of this event. The event has been held here since 2015 which means the regular players will be used to it by now. No major damages have taken place since we were last here so the course remains a par 72 which measures 7,309 yards and which is very much one for the longer hitters, as highlighted by the list of winners since 2015.
There is no rough to speak of here and the ball flies miles through the air so it is wise to favour those who can get it out there off the tee. This is always a low scoring event with the pins generally placed in spots where they are accessible so a very good short game and a hot putter is never a bad thing around here. All 20 men play all four rounds so birdies is the order of the day and lots of them.
The Field
The 20-man field is made up of top class talent headed up by the defending champion and FedExCup winner Viktor Hovland who will be looking to cap off a wonderful 2023 with a third straight title in the Bahamas. Scottie Scheffler was his closest challenger last year and he will be in the field looking to go one better this time around too. The main attraction this week though will be the return of Tiger Woods who will be teeing it up for the first time since The Masters.
Two of the four major winners from 2023 are in the field this week with the US Open champion Wyndham Clark joined by The Open winner Brian Harman while recent Nedbank champion Max Homa is also here. The likes of Justin Thomas, Collin Morikawa and Jordan Spieth will lead the home challenge while players such as Matt Fitzpatrick, Justin Rose and Sepp Straka support Hovland in the European charge. Jason Day is the only international in the field this year.
Market Leaders
It is 4/1 the field this week with the twice winner Viktor Hovland the favourite to go on and land this title for a third time. There have been one or two signs that his game has been a little rusty with him not having had much in the way of competitive reps since the Ryder Cup. Usually he has played in some fall events coming into this tournament but the structure of the tour has changed this year which might be a disadvantage.
It might be a disadvantage for Scottie Scheffler too and he is 5/1 to win the tournament. He went well here a year ago but he was in much better form at the time and he hadn’t had a year of putting woes like he has had in 2023. In a low scoring event the last thing that is needed is a cold putter so while Scheffler is good enough to win any event, and has had time to work on those putting troubles, I would want a bigger price to get involved in him.
Collin Morikawa is 8/1 to win this tournament. He comes in here off the back of a fine win in the ZOZO Championship last month and that should give him the confidence to go well. There is a school of thought that an exquisite long game is the way to success around here but these are 20 of the best players in the world and they all have that so it is generally on and around the greens which separate the pack. That is the weaker part of his game so he isn’t for me.
Max Homa won the Nedbank Challenge on the DP World Tour a few weeks ago and he will be looking for a second win in a matter of a month when he tees it up here. You could say the same about him and his long game that you can about Morikawa though and that has to be a concern. He generally doesn’t have a great record in these elite events either so I would be wanting a double figure price to get involved rather than 17/2.
Betting
I’ll go with a couple of bets this week on players who I think are overpriced. Justin Thomas has had a lot of rubbish said about his game this year but the fact of the matter is he has just had a dodgy few months. He hasn’t turned into a bad golfer overnight. He looked good at the Ryder Cup where he basically had to carry Jordan Spieth and he delivered a top five finish at the Nedbank on a tough course. Thomas has some good form around here without winning but he might be out of the spotlight a little and under the radar this year which might suit him better. I’ll pay to see what he has got in him.
Wyndham Clark finished the main PGA Tour season as one of the best short game players in the field and we know he has all the other tools needed to tame Albany so I think he could be a decent price this week. Clark is long off the tee, good into the greens and around them and solid enough with the putter. You don’t win a US Open without a decent all-round game and he might be something of a forgotten man in this field. Clark also won at Quail Hollow so he can handle himself and on debut I think he could be a big price.
Tips
Back J.Thomas to win Hero World Challenge (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 17.00 with Boylesports (1/5 1-5)
Back W.Clark to win Hero World Challenge (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 23.00 with Boylesports (1/5 1-5)
Back them here:
