The Hero World Challenge is set to take place at Albany Golf Club in the Bahamas, featuring a field of 20 elite players, all ranked within the top 40 in the Official World Golf Ranking. Defending champion Scottie Scheffler headlines the field, joined by other top players such as Ludvig Aberg, Justin Thomas, and Patrick Cantlay. The tournament host, Tiger Woods, will unfortunately not be competing due to injury. Albany Golf Club, designed by Ernie Els, is a challenging par 72 course with a unique layout featuring five par 5s, five par 3s, and eight par 4s. The course is known for its narrow fairways, small greens, and scenic dunes reaching heights of 30 feet.
When analyzing the skill sets necessary for success at the Hero World Challenge, Brady Kannon considers Strokes Gained: Approach, Strokes Gained: Ball Striking, and Strokes Gained: Putting on Bermudagrass. He also looks at metrics such as Good Drives Gained, Scrambling, and Par 5 Scoring. Kannon highlights the importance of strong performance from 175 to over 200 yards, a range players will frequently face given the course’s layout. While finding correlated courses for this event was challenging, TPC Southwind and TPC Scottsdale were mentioned as potential comparisons.
Kannon’s top pick for the tournament is Scottie Scheffler, who enters as the favorite at +225 odds. Despite the shorter price compared to a regular Tour event, Scheffler’s track record at the Hero World Challenge and his overall performance metrics make him a strong contender. Ludvig Aberg, known for his ball-striking and total driving abilities, is another player to watch at 11-1 odds. Aberg excels in proximity to the hole from long distances and has shown promise in recent outings. Sam Burns, with his expertise on Bermudagrass greens, is also a contender at 16-1 odds.
As the year comes to a close, Kannon looks to end the PGA Tour coverage with a winning prediction for the Hero World Challenge. Chirp Golf, a mobile app offering Free-To-Play and Daily Fantasy golf contests, provides insights into which players are popular picks among users. The competition is expected to be intense among the elite field, and Kannon’s analysis sets the stage for an exciting conclusion to the 2024 PGA Tour season. Stay tuned for updates on Chirp Golf player picks and potential surprises at the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas.
