Hero World Challenge 2024 Best Bets and Outrights
by Bradley Gibbs | by Tyler Doty
Played as a benefit for the Tiger Woods Golf Foundation, established back in 2000, the Hero World Challenge is an annual golf event, contested by a select group of high-ranking players. Unlike regular top-tier tournaments, this stroke-play event features only 20 players.
Let’s look at the field for 2024:
- Ludvig Aberg - World Ranking = 5th
- Akshay Bhatia - World Ranking = 31st
- Keegan Bradley - World Ranking = 13th
- Sam Burns - World Ranking = 20th
- Patrick Cantlay - World Ranking = 11th
- Wyndham Clark World Ranking = 6th
- Jason Day - World Ranking = 32nd
- Nick Dunlap - World Ranking = 33rd
- Tony Finau - World Ranking = 26th
- Brian Harman - World Ranking = 24th
- Russell Henley - World Ranking = 14th
- Sungjae Im - World Ranking = 23rd
- Tom Kim - World Ranking = 27th
- Robert MacIntyre - World Ranking = 15th
- Matthieu Pavon - World Ranking = 29th
- Aaron Rai - World Ranking = 21st
- Scottie Scheffler - World Ranking = 1st
- Sahith Theegala - World Ranking = 12th
- Justin Thomas - World Ranking = 25th
- Cameron Young - World Ranking = 38th
As we can see, the field for this unique event is a high-quality one, bookended by world number one Scottie Scheffler and world number 38 Cameron Young.
Last year’s winner and best player on the planet Scottie Scheffler is naturally an early favorite in the betting, and he’s quite a strong one at that. The man who since February 2022 has won no fewer than 13 PGA Tour events made light work of hoovering up this prize last season and he’ll likely give retaining his title a good go.
However, the market is taking few chances where Scheffler is concerned, so from a value point of view, it’s best to look elsewhere. After all, the world number one hasn’t played since the Presidents Cup back in September, so he could be a little rusty. Admittedly, a rusty Scheffler is better than most players at their best, but what the hell, let’s live a little and take him on.
Right, let’s get stuck into which bets look viable ahead of this event, oh, and don’t forget, if you’re looking for good golf betting odds, check out our rating of the top US sportsbooks!
Place Hero World Challenge bets with FanDuel
Justin Thomas to win/top 5 finish: +1000 & +150 with FanDuel Sportsbook
At odds of +1000 to win and odds of +150 to make the top five, I like the look of Justin Thomas. One potential advantage Thomas has over Scheffler this week is the fact that he’s played relatively recently, delivering a decent effort at the Zozo Championship just over a month ago. He finished in a tie for second on that occasion, which may have disappointed the multiple major winner, who had chances to get the job done, though if nothing else, it was an effort that showed his game to be in fine working order.
Thomas, who in 2024 is the third best PGA Tour player (of those playing this week) in terms of strokes gained: tee-to-green, is not without form at this tournament either. In fact, I’d have to say that he’s shown a clear liking for Albany, finishing third in 2023, which followed three consecutive fifth-place finishes.
Of those in the field this week to have played at Albany at least once before, only Scheffler has a better 18-hole average score. If the favorite has an off week given his lack of recent action, JT could be the man to pick up the pieces, and at odds of +1000, I’m betting on that.
Brian Harman top 5 finish: +360 with FanDuel Sportsbook
In a field containing the likes of Scheffler, Thomas, Finau, Aberg and Cantlay, someone like Brian Harman is always going to go under the radar, but that’ll probably suit the diminutive lefty down to the ground. It also suits me just fine as it means that Harman is available at what appear to be slightly generous odds.
Let’s not forget, this is a major winner, one who is more than capable of battling with the best in the business. What’s more, Harman is a man in reasonably decent form, who has had the benefit of playing a very recent tournament, which is not something that can be said for all the players in the line-up at Albany.
There was little wrong with the way Harman played at the RSM Classic recently, finishing strongly with a final round of 64, while the 37-year–old played well when debuting at this venue 12 months ago, finishing eighth.
Harman, who of those in the field this week, also ranks easily inside the top 10 on the PGA Tour (in 2024) for strokes gained: total, which is not something to ignore.
Ultimately, with last year’s solid effort under his belt, having built momentum at the RSM recently, at the available odds, Harman rates as a more appealing bet to perform well than several others, some of whom are priced less generously.
