Twenty of the top-ranked golfers in the world will descend on The Bahamas as Tiger Woods hosts the Hero World Challenge – an unofficial event on the PGA Tour.
The tournament takes place at the Albany Golf Course - a par-72, 7,414-yard venue – and has been won in back-to-back years by Norway's Viktor Hovland, who will be in attendance this week as he aims to accomplish a three-peat.
Hovland was in sensational form in the closing stages of the 2022-23 PGA Tour season as he claimed consecutive victories in August at the BMW Championship and Tour Championship – a pair of FedEx Cup playoff events.
Hovland ranks top 10 on the tour in total shots gained (1.648), birdie average (4.41), par 4s (3.94), scoring average (68.92), putting average (1.716) and total driving (84). He has also registered four-round scores of 270 (-18) and 272 (-16) over the past two years at the Albany course. He's 15/4 to win the tournament.
His main rival, at least in terms of the betting, is Scottie Scheffler (5/1) - the runner-up in The Bahamas the past two years. The American, currently the world number one, lost by a stroke in 2021 and two strokes a year later, but hasn't appeared on the on the PGA Tour since USA's Ryder Cup defeat in October.
Scheffler has the game to claim victory, but will he show any ring-rust having not played an event in two months?
Scheffler is number one on the Tour in shots gained (2.314), greens hit in regulation (74.43%), scoring average (68.26), par 4s (3.91) and is fourth in birdie average (4.41). His putting, however, has been poor in 2022-23 – he ranks 136th in one-putt percentage (38.07), 110th in putts per round (29.09) and 162nd in shots gained putting.
With such a strong, small field, the Top finishes market is somewhat redundant other than a Top Five placing for a player with longer odds.
Former winners in attendance include 2017 victor Rickie Fowler (20/1) and five-time winner Tiger Woods (66/1) - although both will be considered outsiders for this tournament.
Max Homa (15/2) and Sam Burns (22/1) are both top 10 putters on the PGA Tour in numerous categories. Homa has a run of five consecutive top 10 finishes at PGA Tour events and could be the selection at 19/10 for a top three finish.
