Hero World Challenge 2021 Overview
The field for the 2021 Hero World Challenge has been confirmed, with Tiger Woods hosting the limited-field PGA TOUR event in Albany, Bahamas.
After the field was permanently increased from 18 to 20, two new players will compete in this year’s event. In the Official World Golf Ranking, fifteen of the players competing are ranked in the top twenty. Collin Morikawa, the winner of the 2020 PGA Championship and the 2021 Open Championship, will make his tournament debut, along with Bryson DeChambeau, Hideki Matsuyama, and Henrik Stenson, the defending Hero World Challenge champion. The winner of THE PLAYERS Championship has been invited to the Hero World Challenge since this year, with Justin Thomas poised to compete again in Albany. Following his gold medal success at the Tokyo Olympics this summer, Xander Schauffele returns to Albany its a stellar field of the world best in a great way to round off 2021.
Since 2015, the Hero World Challenge has been held at the ultra-exclusive Albany resort and championship course, which was designed by Ernie Els in 2010.
Albany’s low fairways are positioned between windswept dunes and sandy waste regions, combining the finest of links and desert elements. A lake wraps around the left side of the flagship hole at No. 17 – a Par 3 hit 180 yards over water to a tiny green – providing a gorgeous and strategically tricky water feature.
The course has below average-sized greens averaging near 4,500 square feet. Scoring is there for the taking with five Par 5s, but also five Par 3s. The three toughest scoring holes are Par 4s at No. 18 and 16 and the Par 3 at No. 12.
Low scoring, birdies galore , beautiful scenery let’s round off this remarkable year with outright winner number 10.
5 Key Skills Set Required
- Birdie or better % – With the winning score being circa 20 under par, it goes without saying that make birdie and plenty of them is the order of the day. Player who are striking it well and more importantly converting those birdie opportunities have an outstanding chance of success this week.
- GIR gained – When we looked at the recent winners and the stats it is apparent that GIR gained is a key metric. You will need to have plenty of birdie looks this week if you wish to take home the trophy. One way to ensure that is to hit the majority of greens in regulation.
- SG around the green – Getting up and down will be of key importance this week and statistically this has been a really important factor when determining previous winners. Players who excel with their short game will stand a better chance of getting up and down and keeping their round going which is a key importance in these low scoring affairs. This could explain why Patrick Reid has been such a feature on the leaderboard at this event previously with for top five finishes in six events
- Par 5 Scoring – Given we have five Par 5’s on the course this week, we should pay particular attention to the score in stat. Winners of this event in the past have scored very well on the Par 5’s. This week will be no different and the player who lifts the the trophy will have excelled in this area.
- Par 4 Scoring 400-450 – The Sea Island course see’s nine holes falling in this distance, and therefore a category I want to pay particular attention to. 54 of the 72 holes are played at the Sea Island course. With 27 Holes being Par 4 from 400-450 yards.
- SG Putting on Bermudagrass – When we face low scoring contests like we will this week, putting will always be a factor. Last years winner isn’t renowned for being the best with the flat stick so albeit important this isn’t to say your player must be a world class putter. If your struggling to fine tune your final selections it’s a area I would use to narrow down the field.
