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.

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.

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.

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.

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. 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.Photo Gallery: Hero World Challenge, Pro-am & Round 1

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; they became the title sponsor in 2013. In 2014, Hero MotoCorp became the title sponsor. In 2015, the event moved to the Albany development in the Bahamas.

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 Year Winner Score To par Margin ofvictory Runner-up Winner'sshare ($) VenueHero World Challenge2025 Hideki Matsuyama (2) 266 −22 Playoff Alex Norén 1,000,000 Albany2024 Scottie Scheffler (2) 263 −25 6 strokes Tom Kim 1,000,000 Albany2023 Scottie Scheffler 268 −20 3 strokes Sepp Straka 1,000,000 Albany2022 Viktor Hovland (2) 272 −16 2 strokes Scottie Scheffler 1,000,000 Albany2021 Viktor Hovland 270 −18 1 stroke Scottie Scheffler 1,000,000 Albany2020 Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic2019 Henrik Stenson 270 −18 1 stroke Jon Rahm 1,000,000 Albany2018 Jon Rahm 268 −20 4 strokes Tony Finau 1,000,000 Albany2017 Rickie Fowler 270 −18 4 strokes Charley Hoffman 1,000,000 Albany2016 Hideki Matsuyama 270 −18 2 strokes Henrik Stenson 1,000,000 Albany2015 Bubba Watson 263 −25 3 strokes Patrick Reed 1,000,000 Albany2014 Jordan Spieth 262 −26 10 strokes Henrik Stenson 1,000,000 IsleworthNorthwestern Mutual World Challenge2013 Zach Johnson 275 −13 Playoff Tiger Woods 1,000,000 SherwoodWorld Challenge2012 Graeme McDowell (2) 271 −17 3 strokes Keegan Bradley 1,000,000 SherwoodChevron World Challenge2011 Tiger Woods (5) 278 −10 1 stroke Zach Johnson 1,200,000 Sherwood2010 Graeme McDowell 272 −16 Playoff Tiger Woods 1,200,000 Sherwood2009 Jim Furyk 275 −13 1 stroke Graeme McDowell 1,350,000 Sherwood2008 Vijay Singh 277 −11 1 stroke Steve Stricker 1,350,000 SherwoodTarget World Challenge2007 Tiger Woods (4) 266 −22 7 strokes Zach Johnson 1,350,000 Sherwood2006 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 Sherwood2004 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 Sherwood2002 Pádraig Harrington 268 −20 2 strokes Tiger Woods 1,000,000 SherwoodWilliams World Challenge2001 Tiger Woods 273 −15 3 strokes Vijay Singh 1,000,000 Sherwood2000(Dec) Davis Love III 266 −22 2 strokes Tiger Woods 1,000,000 Sherwood2000(Jan) Tom Lehman 267 −13 3 strokes David Duval 1,000,000 Grayhawk

References

External links

Coverage on the PGA Tour's official site