NASSAU, Bahamas, December 3, 2023. … The third time is the charm. After second place finishes at Albany in 2021 and 2022, World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler capped off this year with a victory in the 2023 Hero World Challenge.
Following an opening round 69, Scheffler took control of the tournament with rounds of 66 and 65 on Friday and Saturday – both the low rounds of the days. A final-round 68 Sunday sealed the victory.
“I was kind of on the outside looking in the last couple years on Sunday and I needed a good back nine to finish second and give myself an outside chance,” Scheffler said of his close calls at Albany. “Going into today was definitely nice being in the lead, and I played solid golf to kind of finish it off.”
Scheffler was able to play a relatively stress-free round Sunday thanks in part to two specific holes on the golf course. He played the par-4 seventh hole at four-under-par on the week and the par-5 15th at five-under-par over the four rounds.
For Scheffler, the trophy ceremony following the final putt was years in the making.
“It was really cool for me two years ago just to get into this tournament,” Scheffler said. “I had seen the Hero World Challenge pretty much my entire life and it seemed like such a fun time, only 20 guys, 20 of the best players in the world coming down to play Tiger’s event. It was very special this year having him back out on the course. Seeing him complete four rounds was so cool. It was fun getting in the lunchroom today and seeing him teeing off on the first hole, seeing the red and black walking down the fairways. As players, we’re excited to see him back. Hopefully we’ll get to see more of him.”
Sepp Straka made things close on the back nine as he posted a 64 to come within two shots of the lead at one point. A Scheffler birdie on 15 pushed the lead back to three.
Two-time defending champion Viktor Hovland turned in an effort on Sunday that proved to be a little too late. He posted a Sunday-best 63 but started the round at even-par. The deficit proved too great to overcome in his quest for a three-peat.
Tournament host Tiger Woods returned to PGA TOUR action for the first time since April and finished the week at even-par.
“I’m ecstatic how the week turned out not just from me playing but I think organizationally of the event and how everything’s been run,” Woods said. “Just the whole week has been very smooth and I think everyone here has enjoyed it.”
