Schefler will look to defend title amidst stiff competition

Defending champion Scottie Scheffler leads elite golfers at Hero World Challenge for $1 million prize.

Scottie Scheffler will strive to defend his title as the World No. 1 leads the charge along with 19 other elite golfers from eight nationalities when the Hero World Challenge gets underway at the Albany course for the ninth straight time on Thursday.

Apart from two-time Masters champion Scheffler, who has seven PGA Tour titles in addition to the Olympic gold in Paris this year, the field has five other Major winners in Wyndham Clark, Brian Harman, Keegan Bradley, Justin Thomas, and Jason Day eager to capture their maiden crown at the 25th edition of this invitational event hosted by five-time champion Tiger Woods.

Nick Dunlap, the first player in history to win on the Tour as an amateur and a professional in the same season, is among the eight first-timers fans will look out for to take on the seasoned pros on the beautiful Ernie Els-designed 7,449 yards, Par 72 course.

The 20-year-old is one of three players who has accepted sponsor exemptions to the Challenge, the other two being last year’s runner-up Sepp Straka and former PGA champion Day.

For the first time, the roster also includes a trio of Indian-origin players — Sahith Theegala, Aaron Rai, and Akshay Bhatia — adding diversity to a mix in pursuit of the big prize of $1 million and the lovely trophy featuring a tiger!

Meanwhile on Tuesday, Englishman Rai, who claimed his first Tour title at the 2024 Wyndham Championship, kicked off the Challenge by winning the ‘Hero Shot at Albany’ championship ahead of Dunlap, Bhatia, Robert MacIntyre, two-time Major winner Justin Thomas, and Day in front of Woods and the Hero MotoCorp chairman Pawan Munjal.

Going by the weatherman’s forecast for the next four days, fans can enjoy some intense play under clear blue skies and favourable wind conditions.