Hero World Challenge

Last updated

Hero World Challenge
Hero World Challenge logo.png
Tournament information
Location Albany, New Providence, The Bahamas
Established2000
Course(s)Albany Golf Course
Par72
Length7,414 yards (6,779 m)
Tour(s) PGA Tour (unofficial event)
Format Stroke play
Prize fund US$4,500,000
Month playedDecember
Tournament record score
Aggregate262 Jordan Spieth (2014)
To par−26 as above
Current champion
Flag of the United States.svg Scottie Scheffler
Location Map
Relief map of Bahamas.png
Icona golf.svg
Albany GC
Location in The Bahamas

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.

Contents

Format

Initially, 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

In 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

The 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

YearWinnerScoreTo parMargin of
victory
Runner-upWinner's
share ($)
Venue
Hero World Challenge
2023 Flag of the United States.svg Scottie Scheffler 268−203 strokes Flag of Austria.svg Sepp Straka 1,000,000Albany
2022 Flag of Norway.svg Viktor Hovland (2)272−162 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Scottie Scheffler 1,000,000Albany
2021 Flag of Norway.svg Viktor Hovland 270−181 stroke Flag of the United States.svg Scottie Scheffler 1,000,000Albany
2020Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic [10]
2019 Flag of Sweden.svg Henrik Stenson 270−181 stroke Flag of Spain.svg Jon Rahm 1,000,000Albany
2018 Flag of Spain.svg Jon Rahm 268−204 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Tony Finau 1,000,000Albany
2017 Flag of the United States.svg Rickie Fowler 270−184 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Charley Hoffman 1,000,000Albany
2016 Flag of Japan.svg Hideki Matsuyama 270−182 strokes Flag of Sweden.svg Henrik Stenson 1,000,000Albany
2015 Flag of the United States.svg Bubba Watson 263−253 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Patrick Reed 1,000,000Albany
2014 Flag of the United States.svg Jordan Spieth 262−2610 strokes Flag of Sweden.svg Henrik Stenson 1,000,000Isleworth
Northwestern Mutual World Challenge
2013 Flag of the United States.svg Zach Johnson 275−13Playoff Flag of the United States.svg Tiger Woods 1,000,000 Sherwood
World Challenge
2012 Ulster Banner.svg Graeme McDowell (2)271−173 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Keegan Bradley 1,000,000 Sherwood
Chevron World Challenge
2011 Flag of the United States.svg Tiger Woods (5)278−101 stroke Flag of the United States.svg Zach Johnson 1,200,000 Sherwood
2010 Ulster Banner.svg Graeme McDowell 272−16Playoff Flag of the United States.svg Tiger Woods 1,200,000 Sherwood
2009 Flag of the United States.svg Jim Furyk 275−131 stroke Ulster Banner.svg Graeme McDowell 1,350,000 Sherwood
2008 Flag of Fiji.svg Vijay Singh 277−111 stroke Flag of the United States.svg Steve Stricker 1,350,000 Sherwood
Target World Challenge
2007 Flag of the United States.svg Tiger Woods (4)266−227 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Zach Johnson 1,350,000 Sherwood
2006 Flag of the United States.svg Tiger Woods (3)272−164 strokes Flag of Australia (converted).svg Geoff Ogilvy 1,350,000 Sherwood
2005 Flag of England.svg Luke Donald 272−162 strokes Ulster Banner.svg Darren Clarke 1,300,000 Sherwood
2004 Flag of the United States.svg Tiger Woods (2)268−162 strokes Flag of Ireland.svg Pádraig Harrington 1,250,000 Sherwood
2003 Flag of the United States.svg Davis Love III (2)277−112 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Tiger Woods 1,200,000 Sherwood
2002 Flag of Ireland.svg Pádraig Harrington 268−202 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Tiger Woods 1,000,000 Sherwood
Williams World Challenge
2001 Flag of the United States.svg Tiger Woods 273−153 strokes Flag of Fiji.svg Vijay Singh 1,000,000 Sherwood
2000
(Dec)
Flag of the United States.svg Davis Love III 266−222 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Tiger Woods 1,000,000 Sherwood
2000
(Jan)
Flag of the United States.svg Tom Lehman 267−133 strokes Flag of the United States.svg David Duval 1,000,000Grayhawk

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References

  1. "Chevron World Challenge - Furyk Keeps Lead, Couples Three Back". Golf Digest. Associated Press. December 19, 2008. Retrieved October 18, 2012.
  2. "Hero World Challenge Field increases to 20 players". Hero World Challenge. August 1, 2021. Retrieved November 28, 2023.
  3. "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.
  4. "Tiger returns to golf for 2014 Hero World Challenge". TigerWoods.com. October 14, 2014. Retrieved November 27, 2014.
  5. Photo Gallery: Hero World Challenge, Pro-am & Round 1
  6. Harig, Bob (October 17, 2012). "Tiger Woods' event star-studded". ESPN. Retrieved October 18, 2012.
  7. Harig, Bob (August 14, 2013). "Title sponsor steps up for Tiger event". ESPN. Retrieved October 10, 2013.
  8. "Hero MotoCorp clinches the title sponsorship of the PGA Tour's golfing event". The Economic Times. September 15, 2014.
  9. Ballengee, Ryan (December 12, 2014). "Is Tiger Woods on his way to being worth $2 billion?". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved December 12, 2014.
  10. "Hero World Challenge canceled for 2020". PGA Tour. October 19, 2020. Retrieved October 19, 2020.

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