The Hero World Challenge is a golf tournament hosted by Tiger Woods, which takes place each December. It features a small number (currently 20) of top-ranked golf pros. The tournament is a benefit for the Tiger Woods Foundation. The event is part of the PGA Tour schedule, but does not offer FedEx Cup points or official money as it is an unofficial event.
 | |
| Tournament information | |
|---|---|
| Location | Albany, New Providence, The Bahamas |
| Established | 2000 |
| Course(s) | Albany Golf Course |
| Par | 72 |
| Length | 7,414 yards (6,779 m) |
| Tour(s) | PGA Tour (unofficial event) |
| Format | Stroke play |
| Prize fund | US$4,500,000 |
| Month played | December |
| Tournament record score | |
| Aggregate | 262 Jordan Spieth (2014) |
| To par | −26 as above |
| Current champion | |
 Scottie Scheffler | |
| Location map | |
  Albany GC Location in The Bahamas | |
Format
editInitially, the tournament had a 16-man field composed of the defending champion, the top 11 available players from the Official World Golf Ranking, and four sponsors exemptions chosen by the Tiger Woods Foundation. In 2008, the field was increased to 18 players, consisting of the most recent winners of the four major PGA tournaments, the top 11 available players from the Official World Golf Ranking, the defending champion, and two special exemption players selected by the foundation.[1]
In 2021, the field was increased to 20 adding an automatic invitation to the winner of The Players Championship going forward while the rest of the field selection remained the same. However, the 2021 field included automatic invitations to four major winners of both 2020 and 2021 since the 2020 event was not held.[2]
Prize money won by the players is not included in money rankings on any of the world's professional golf tours, but the tournament is recognized as an unofficial money event by the PGA Tour. Since 2009, the event offers Official World Golf Ranking points.[3]
In 2007 the total prize fund was $5.75 million, similar to many official PGA Tour events, which usually have fields of about 150 players.[citation needed] In 2014, the first prize was $1 million, and the total purse was $3.5 million.[4] Woods usually donates his prize money to his foundation.[citation needed]
Hero World Challenge tournament is preceded by a pro-am competition, in which professional golfers play with amateurs. Hero World Challenge pro-am is usually organized two days before the first round of professional play. "Am-Am outing" takes place on the first day, "Official Pro-Am" on the second day. The access to the pro-am competition is limited only to the tournament partners. The pro-am tournament is closed to public.
The amateur participants of the 2016 pro-am included, for instance, Derek Jeter and Tino Martinez.[5]
History
editIn 2000, the tournament was staged twice, with Tom Lehman winning the first event in January. The tournament then moved to December of that year, with Davis Love III winning that event. It has been played in December ever since. The January 2000 event was played at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona. From December 2000 to 2013, the event took place at Sherwood Country Club, a course designed by Jack Nicklaus, in Thousand Oaks, California.
In 2008, Woods did not compete due to knee surgery following his 2008 U.S. Open victory, even though he was the two-time defending champion. He did not play in 2009 due to time spent away from golf related to personal matters. Woods returned to the event in 2010.
In 2011, Woods won the tournament with a score of −10, defeating Zach Johnson by one shot. Woods made birdie on the final two holes to win; it was his first win in over two years, since the 2009 Australian Masters.
The tournament was the Williams World Challenge for its first three playings/two years. Beginning in 2002 was rechristened the Target World Challenge. It was called the Chevron World Challenge from 2008 through 2011. In 2012, new sponsor Northwestern Mutual was the presenting sponsor instead of a title sponsor;[6] they became the title sponsor in 2013.[7] In 2014, Hero MotoCorp became the title sponsor.[8] In 2015, the event moved to the Albany development in the Bahamas.[9]
Television
editThe first World Challenge was televised by the USA Network and NBC Sports. It was then covered by USA and ABC Sports from 2000 to 2006. It has been televised by Golf Channel and a returning NBC since 2007.
Winners
edit| Year | Winner | Score | To par | Margin of victory |
Runner-up | Winner's share ($) |
Venue | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hero World Challenge | ||||||||
| 2023 | Scottie Scheffler |
268 | −20 | 3 strokes |  Sepp Straka |
1,000,000 | Albany | |
| 2022 |  Viktor Hovland (2) |
272 | −16 | 2 strokes | Scottie Scheffler |
1,000,000 | Albany | |
| 2021 | Viktor Hovland |
270 | −18 | 1 stroke | Scottie Scheffler |
1,000,000 | Albany | |
| 2020 | Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic[10] | |||||||
| 2019 |  Henrik Stenson |
270 | −18 | 1 stroke |  Jon Rahm |
1,000,000 | Albany | |
| 2018 | Jon Rahm |
268 | −20 | 4 strokes | Tony Finau |
1,000,000 | Albany | |
| 2017 | Rickie Fowler |
270 | −18 | 4 strokes | Charley Hoffman |
1,000,000 | Albany | |
| 2016 |  Hideki Matsuyama |
270 | −18 | 2 strokes | Henrik Stenson |
1,000,000 | Albany | |
| 2015 | Bubba Watson |
263 | −25 | 3 strokes | Patrick Reed |
1,000,000 | Albany | |
| 2014 | Jordan Spieth |
262 | −26 | 10 strokes | Henrik Stenson |
1,000,000 | Isleworth | |
| Northwestern Mutual World Challenge | ||||||||
| 2013 | Zach Johnson |
275 | −13 | Playoff | Tiger Woods |
1,000,000 | Sherwood | |
| World Challenge | ||||||||
| 2012 |  Graeme McDowell (2) |
271 | −17 | 3 strokes | Keegan Bradley |
1,000,000 | Sherwood | |
| Chevron World Challenge | ||||||||
| 2011 | Tiger Woods (5) |
278 | −10 | 1 stroke | Zach Johnson |
1,200,000 | Sherwood | |
| 2010 | Graeme McDowell |
272 | −16 | Playoff | Tiger Woods |
1,200,000 | Sherwood | |
| 2009 | Jim Furyk |
275 | −13 | 1 stroke | Graeme McDowell |
1,350,000 | Sherwood | |
| 2008 |  Vijay Singh |
277 | −11 | 1 stroke | Steve Stricker |
1,350,000 | Sherwood | |
| Target World Challenge | ||||||||
| 2007 | Tiger Woods (4) |
266 | −22 | 7 strokes | Zach Johnson |
1,350,000 | Sherwood | |
| 2006 | Tiger Woods (3) |
272 | −16 | 4 strokes |  Geoff Ogilvy |
1,350,000 | Sherwood | |
| 2005 |  Luke Donald |
272 | −16 | 2 strokes | Darren Clarke |
1,300,000 | Sherwood | |
| 2004 | Tiger Woods (2) |
268 | −16 | 2 strokes |  Pádraig Harrington |
1,250,000 | Sherwood | |
| 2003 | Davis Love III (2) |
277 | −11 | 2 strokes | Tiger Woods |
1,200,000 | Sherwood | |
| 2002 | Pádraig Harrington |
268 | −20 | 2 strokes | Tiger Woods |
1,000,000 | Sherwood | |
| Williams World Challenge | ||||||||
| 2001 | Tiger Woods |
273 | −15 | 3 strokes | Vijay Singh |
1,000,000 | Sherwood | |
| 2000 (Dec) |
Davis Love III |
266 | −22 | 2 strokes | Tiger Woods |
1,000,000 | Sherwood | |
| 2000 (Jan) |
Tom Lehman |
267 | −13 | 3 strokes | David Duval |
1,000,000 | Grayhawk | |
References
edit- ^ "Chevron World Challenge - Furyk Keeps Lead, Couples Three Back". Golf Digest. Associated Press. December 19, 2008. Retrieved October 18, 2012.
- ^ "Hero World Challenge Field increases to 20 players". Hero World Challenge. August 1, 2021. Retrieved November 28, 2023.
- ^ "Tiger Woods, in most events in 7 years, to figure out how much is too much". Fox News. Associated Press. October 17, 2010. Retrieved October 18, 2012.
- ^ "Tiger returns to golf for 2014 Hero World Challenge". TigerWoods.com. October 14, 2014. Retrieved November 27, 2014.
- ^ Photo Gallery: Hero World Challenge, Pro-am & Round 1
- ^ Harig, Bob (October 17, 2012). "Tiger Woods' event star-studded". ESPN. Retrieved October 18, 2012.
- ^ Harig, Bob (August 14, 2013). "Title sponsor steps up for Tiger event". ESPN. Retrieved October 10, 2013.
- ^ "Hero MotoCorp clinches the title sponsorship of the PGA Tour's golfing event". The Economic Times. September 15, 2014.
- ^ Ballengee, Ryan (December 12, 2014). "Is Tiger Woods on his way to being worth $2 billion?". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved December 12, 2014.
- ^ "Hero World Challenge canceled for 2020". PGA Tour. October 19, 2020. Retrieved October 19, 2020.