Hero World Challenge 2018 Preview – 29th November
The Hero World Challenge is a little different of a golf tournament for punters to get stuck into. That is because, instead of the usually enormous fields that add levels and levels of unpredictability to a market, the Hero World Challenge features just the 18 players. The event stays at Albany, New Providence in the Bahamas. Justin Rose is the 7/1 favourite to land the title* (betting odds taken on November 26th, 2018 at 4:33 pm).
Hero World Challenge Golf Odds*
Justin Rose 7/1
Dustin Johnson 9/1
Rickie Fowler 9/1
Tiger Woods 9/1
Justin Thomas 9/1
Bryson DeChambeau 10/1
Jon Rahm 12/1
Tony Finau 16/1
Jason Day 16/1
Xander Schauffele 18/1
Patrick Reed 20/1
Patrick Cantlay 20/1
Hideki Matsuyama 22/1
Henrik Stenson 25/1
Bubba Watson 28/1
Alex Noren 28/1
Gary Woodland 28;/1
Keegan Bradley 33/1
* (betting odds taken on November 26th, 2018 at 3:21 pm)
Table of Contents
Who plays?
The tournament is for just eighteen players. It is an invitation-only event with players joining the current reigning champion of the Hero World Challenge. It is Rickie Fowler who is the reigning champion after winning by four strokes over Charley Hoffman twelve months ago and he is at 9/1 odds to defend successfully* (betting odds taken on November 26th, 2018 at 3:21 pm)
This isn’t an official tournament and prize monies don’t count towards any rankings. So it is a tournament where stats are really looked over and you won’t find them as heavily digested as you will for other tournaments. There is, however, a notable feature of the course where the players will be taking on twenty par-5 challenges over the tournament, so that is a feature of the game which could be fairly telling.
Par 5 Kings
So looking at the par 5 aspects, who does that bring into contention? Of those players out this week, it is Dustin Johnson who was 4th on the rankings of par 5 birdies or better for the 2018 season through to the Ryder Cup. He had a 55.36% of landing at least a birdie on a par 5 hole last year. Justin Rose was just behind 54.37% in scoring on a par 5. So that should help along and they are therefore a fit at 7/1 and 9/1 respectively* (betting odds taken on November 26th, 2018 at 3:21 pm) at the head of the 2018 Hero World Challenge betting market. Jon Rahm incidentally was sixth on the list so at the bigger 12/1 odds * (betting odds taken on November 26th, 2018 at 3:21 pm) could pique some interest.
Current Form
It is a strange time of the season, being so early into the 2019 term and players taking breaks at the end of a long calendar year. The last few winners of the tournament had each been carrying some pretty handy form with them before stepping out and landing the title at the Hero World Challenge. For example, Rickie Fowler had just come off a second place finish in his previous tournament before landing the win in the Bahamas.
Justin Rose, therefore, will be a fit as just three weeks ago he defended his Turkish Airlines Open title. He was looking a little jaded even at that tournament but still, he managed to come through. He is going to be fresher and he actually knows this course well. He was fifth last year and should have done enough there by now to get in with a title shot.
Going back to Dustin Johnson, he just hasn’t had the current from behind him. He had a decent run a couple of years ago at Albany with a third-place finish, but he has played just the one tournament since the Tour Championship. That was nothing more than a 30th finish at the HSBC Champions and has certainly been on the wind-down. Then we can swing back to Rickie Fowler who has a really strong history at the course and was trending towards the win last year. That’s three straight top-three finishes at the event for him so makes for a good fit as he seems to enjoy this.
Tiger Woods comes in off his multi-million dollar challenge against Phil Mickelson in Las Vegas, which he lost. That’s something that will count for absolutely nothing of course and he is in the same boat as Dustin Johnson really. Following his win at the Tour Championship, he hasn’t competed. Justin Thomas has also been on a long five-week break of action as he goes in his second Hero World Challenge. Twelve months ago he had descent from behind him, not this time.
Prediction
The tournament looks wide open and that does lend appeal to someone just to upset the leaders. Tony Finau is making his debut at the tournament and he was so strong on the par 5 scoring last year. So he could pull something out and he is going to be pretty fearless and he is a great 18/1 each way fit* (betting odds taken on November 26th, 2018 at 3:21 pm). Of the front-runners, maybe it will be time for Rose to actually come good at a course he knows well.
