The world’s top golfers will head this week to the renowned Albany course at Nassau, Bahamas for the 2016 staging of the Hero World Challenge. A cool $3.5 million is at stake for this week’s 18-man field which will include the returning Tiger Woods. Read on below for an in-depth breakdown of the 2016 Hero World Challenge and while you’re at it, you can check out the experts’ picks for this invitation-only event.
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Favorites – Dustin Johnson (+475) and Jordan Spieth (+500)
It isn’t a complete surprise to see Dustin Johnson and Jordan Spieth installed as favorites to win this week’s Hero World Challenge. Johnson and Spieth are the two highest-ranked players in the field and they are playing some excellent golf of late. Johnson has posted top-10s in nine of his last 12 starts, including victories at the U.S. Open, Bridgestone Invitational and BMW Championship. Spieth, on the other hand, is coming off his second win in three years at the Australian Open. The American held his nerve in a three-man playoff, dashing the dreams of local hopes Cameron Smith and Ashley Hall. With the form that they are both in right now, expect Johnson and Spieth to contend once again for the title this week.
High-Value Sleepers – Brooks Koepka (+1,000) and Bubba Watson (+1,800)
One golfer who’s expected to contend this week is Brooks Koepka. His powerful long game perfectly suits this tough links course, which features a whopping five par-5s. He is 38th in the PGA Tour in driving distance this season, averaging an incredible 301.9 yards per drive. That will come in handy for Koepka when tackling the long 7,400-yard, par-72 Albany course. Koepka, who won in Japan in his last start, will be a definite threat for the championship this weekend.
Another golfer who’s primed for a huge performance this week is Bubba Watson. Like Koepka, he’s one of the longest hitters on tour. He averaged 310.6 yards per drive last season, fourth-best in the PGA Tour. He displayed that tremendous power in his win here last year wherein he shot a 25-under-par total of 263. Watson made mincemeat of the par-5s last year, averaging 4.35 on the set with an eagle, 11 birdies and eight pars. That experience will be vital for Watson who hasn’t notched a top 10 at a full-field PGA Tour event since his victory at the Northern Trust Open back in February.
One golfer who can definitely surprise this week is Tiger Woods. Yes, it’s been 15 months since the 14-time major champion hit a golf shot that mattered but if there’s one person in the entire world who can pull off the improbable this week, it’s got to be Tiger. He has won this event a whopping five times, although we need to take note that this will just be the first time that Woods will play this tournament in the Bahamas.
For those questioning Woods’ form, the early signs are quite good. He impressed in the event’s Pro-Am on Wednesday, shooting a two-under-par 70 that included a pair of eagles on the front nine. Can he sustain that form in the actual tournament proper? The entire golfing world will be waiting with bated breath this week if that is indeed the case.
Writer’s Prediction
Brooks Koepka (+1,000) storms to victory this week.
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