Golf’s silly season is here, and the first tournament up to bat is Tiger Woods’ Hero World Challenge in Albany. Although the 15-time major champion isn’t in the field, we’ll still be treated with some of the best players in the world including Scottie Scheffler, Justin Thomas, Ludvig Aberg, Wyndham Clark and Patrick Cantlay, among others.
Tony Finau, amid countless LIV Golf rumors circulating around social media, withdrew from the field on Monday.
Because this isn’t an official PGA Tour event, the winner will not earn any FedEx Cup points. One thing is official, however — the money. Sunday’s champion will go home with $1 million of the $5 million purse.
Without further ado, let’s jump into our betting preview and see who we’ll be targeting in The Bahamas.
Hero World Challenge: Tournament hub
Golf course
Albany Golf Course | Par 72 | 7,449 yards
Scottie Scheffler plays his shot from the 18th tee during the final round of the Hero World Challenge at Albany Golf Course on December 03, 2023 in Nassau, Bahamas. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
Hero World Challenge betting odds
| Player | Odds | Player | Odds |
| Scottie Scheffler | (+220) | Sahith Theegala | (+2200) |
| Ludvig Aberg | (+850) | Jason Day | (+2200) |
| Justin Thomas | (+1000) | Robert MacIntyre | (+2500) |
| Sungjae Im | (+1400) | Akshay Bhatia | (+2500) |
| Sam Burns | (+1400) | Aaron Rai | (+2500) |
| Russell Henley | (+1400) | Keegan Bradley | (+2500) |
| Patrick Cantlay | (+1600) | Cameron Young | (+2800) |
| Wyndham Clark | (+1800) | Sepp Straka | (+3000) |
| Brian Harman | (+2000) | Nick Dunlap | (+3500) |
| Tom Kim | (+2000) | Matthieu Pavon | (+8000) |
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Picks to win the Hero World Challenge
Justin Thomas
Justin Thomas of the US tees off at the 10th hole during the round 1 of Zozo Championships PGA golf tournament at the Narashino Country Club in Inzai, Chiba prefecture on October 24, 2024 (Photo by TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA/AFP via Getty Images)
Odds: 10/1
Analysis: Woods’ best buddy has finished T-5 or better in four straight appearances at the Hero, including a third-place finish last December. In his last Tour start, the Louisville product tied for second at the Zozo Championship in Japan.
Tom Kim
Tom Kim walks on the first green during the third round of the 2024 FedEx St. Jude Championship at TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tennessee. (Mike Mulholland/Getty Images)
Odds: 20/1
Analysis: In a 20-man field, getting +2000 odds for Tom Kim is too good to pass up. Despite missing the cut in his latest Tour start — Shriners Children’s Open — Kim finished second a week later at the DP World Tour’s Genesis Championship. He’s played in the Hero once, finishing T-10 in 2022.
Robert MacIntyre
Robert MacIntyre of Scotland plays his second shot on the 15th hole during day four of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship 2024 at the Old Course at St Andrews on October 06, 2024 in St Andrews, Scotland. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)
Odds: 25/1
Analysis: Unlike many of the players in this field, MacIntyre has been playing golf this fall. In his last two DP World Tour starts, the Scot finished T-19 at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and T-7 at the DP World Tour Championship. This will be MacIntyre’s first appearance at the Hero.