Hero World Challenge

The Hero World Challenge is a golf tournament hosted by Tiger Woods, which takes place each December. It features a small number (currently 18) 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.

Hero World Challenge
Tournament information
LocationThe Bahamas
Established2000
Course(s)Albany, New Providence (2015–)
Isleworth Golf & Country Club (2014)
Sherwood Country Club (Dec 2000–13)
Greyhawk Golf Club (Jan 2000)
Par72
Length7,302 yards (6,677 m)
Tour(s)PGA Tour (unofficial event)
FormatStroke play
Prize fund$3,500,000
Month playedDecember
Tournament record score
Aggregate262 Jordan Spieth (2014)
To par−26 Jordan Spieth (2014)
Current champion
Henrik Stenson
Location Map
Albany
Location in Bahamas

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]

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.[2]

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. In 2014, the first prize was $1 million, and the total purse was $3.5 million.[3] Woods usually donates his prize money to his foundation.

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.[4]

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.

It was called the Chevron World Challenge from 2008 through 2011. It previously went by the names Williams World Challenge and Target World Challenge. In 2012, new sponsor Northwestern Mutual was the presenting sponsor instead of a title sponsor.[5] They became the title sponsor in 2013.[6] In 2014, Hero MotoCorp became the title sponsor.[7]

In 2015, the event moved to the Albany development in the Bahamas.[8]

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
YearWinnerCountryVenueScoreMargin of
victory		Runner-upWinner's
share ($)
Hero World Challenge
2020Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic[9]
2019Henrik Stenson SwedenAlbany Golf Course270 (−18)1 stroke Jon Rahm1,000,000
2018Jon Rahm SpainAlbany Golf Course268 (−20)4 strokes Tony Finau1,000,000
2017Rickie Fowler United StatesAlbany Golf Course270 (−18)4 strokes Charley Hoffman1,000,000
2016Hideki Matsuyama JapanAlbany Golf Course270 (−18)2 strokes Henrik Stenson1,000,000
2015Bubba Watson United StatesAlbany Golf Course263 (−25)3 strokes Patrick Reed1,000,000
2014Jordan Spieth United StatesIsleworth Country Club262 (−26)10 strokes Henrik Stenson1,000,000
Northwestern Mutual World Challenge
2013Zach Johnson United StatesSherwood Country Club275 (−13)Playoff Tiger Woods1,000,000
World Challenge presented by Northwestern Mutual
2012Graeme McDowell (2) Northern IrelandSherwood Country Club271 (−17)3 strokes Keegan Bradley1,000,000
Chevron World Challenge
2011Tiger Woods (5) United StatesSherwood Country Club278 (−10)1 stroke Zach Johnson1,200,000
2010Graeme McDowell Northern IrelandSherwood Country Club272 (−16)Playoff Tiger Woods1,200,000
Chevron World Challenge presented by Bank of America
2009Jim Furyk United StatesSherwood Country Club275 (−13)1 stroke Graeme McDowell1,350,000
2008Vijay Singh FijiSherwood Country Club277 (−11)1 stroke Steve Stricker1,350,000
Target World Challenge presented by Countrywide
2007Tiger Woods (4) United StatesSherwood Country Club266 (−22)7 strokes Zach Johnson1,350,000
2006Tiger Woods (3) United StatesSherwood Country Club272 (−16)4 strokes Geoff Ogilvy1,350,000
2005Luke Donald EnglandSherwood Country Club272 (−16)2 strokes Darren Clarke1,300,000
2004Tiger Woods (2) United StatesSherwood Country Club268 (−16)2 strokes Pádraig Harrington1,250,000
Target World Challenge presented by Williams
2003Davis Love III (2) United StatesSherwood Country Club277 (−11)2 strokes Tiger Woods1,200,000
2002Pádraig Harrington IrelandSherwood Country Club268 (−20)2 strokes Tiger Woods1,000,000
Williams World Challenge
2001Tiger Woods United StatesSherwood Country Club273 (−15)3 strokes Vijay Singh1,000,000
2000 (Dec)Davis Love III United StatesSherwood Country Club266 (−22)2 strokes Tiger Woods1,000,000
2000 (Jan)Tom Lehman United StatesGrayhawk Golf Club267 (−13)3 strokes David Duval1,000,000

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

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