Albany, Bahamas, December
04, 2023.
Scottie
Scheffler completed the job he may have been left incomplete in his first two
visits here in 2021 and 2022, when he finished second at the Hero World
Challenge. He stayed bogey free on the final day for a 68 to win the 2023 World
Hero Challenge, an event he confessed he had watched for a good part of his
life.
Scheffler,
who received his Tiger Trophy from Woods and Dr Pawan Munjal, Executive
Chairman of Hero MotoCorp, admitted, “It was really cool for me two years ago
just to get into this tournament. 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 in the world coming down to play Tiger's event.”
He
added, “It's definitely nice to win and also nice to be consistent. Finishing
second is not nearly as good a feeling as finishing first.”
Scheffler,
starting the day three clear, totalled 20-under and finished three ahead of
Seep Straka (64), who rocketed up the leader board with the day’s second best
card and a total of 17-under.
Matt
Fitzpatrick (70) and Justin Thomas (67), the only players inside five shots of
Scheffler with 18l holes to go, never really mounted a challenge as the World
No. 1 polished off his third win of 2023 and ensured he would go into 2024 with
even more confidence.
Tiger
Woods had a mixed bag with a 72 that had five birdies and three bogeys as he
finished even for the week and 18th.
Neither
the score nor the position mattered. All that mattered was that he lasted 72
holes and was smiling and sounding confident.
"I
think I have come a long way from being a bit rusty to playing four
rounds," Woods said. "Just the physicality of playing and competing
again, I haven't done this in a while so it was nice to get out there with the
guys and have some fun.
Scheffler
looked in command as he started the final round. Two birdies on either side and
no bogey did not allow anyone any chance. He had back-to-back birdies on sixth
and seventh and then again on 14th and 15.
He
said, “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. Going into today was definitely nice being in the lead and I played
solid golf to kind of finish it off.”
On
how he will take this going in 2024, he went on, “Yeah, great confidence going
into next year. Only probably I think we have maybe four weeks until we leave
again, so it's definitely nice kind of having the momentum of a win as I go
into preparing for next season. Yeah, I mean, couldn't get better momentum than
this, you know.”
Scheffler’s
confidence for 2024 will come from his putting, which from being below average has
become amazingly good.
Scheffler
began the 2023 HWC with three bogeys in the first six holes and had only four
more in his next 66 holes. Round 2 had two dropped shots, while round 3 had one
and the final round had none. Overall, he had two eagles, both in the third
round, 23 birdies and seven bogeys.
Scheffler
said, “I was optimistic going into this week. I think I just played solid today
and kept my distance from the rest of the guys. It was the same game plan as
always."
Woods,
who plans one tournament every month next year, added, "I just wish I
could have played a little cleaner but there is always next time. I think if
you ask me right now, I am a little bit sore.
"Maybe
I can get into the rhythm of something like one tournament a month.
"That
was the plan going into next year and I don't see why that would change."
Woods
parred the first and double bogeyed the par-three second but drained a
sensational birdie putt from 34 feet out on the par-three fifth. Three other
birdies on sixth, 14th and the 15th were neutralised by
bogeys on eighth, 11th and 16th.
Woods
had struggled on the back nine throughout the week and was over par for it on
the first three days but was even par on the final day. The birdies on Par-5 15thwas
particularly satisfying after a double bogey on the first, a bogey on the
second and a par on the third. In the final round, He drove 357 yards and
followed with a fine second shot to inside 40 feet, but just off the green. A
nice chip to under six feet set him up for birdie, which he holed.
Finishing
behind the world No 1 was Sepp Straka, who last year had come as a replacement
when Woods pulled out at the last moment. Straka fired a bogey-free 64
with eight birdies to move to 17-under and second.
Justin
Thomas had six birdies against one bogey for 67 and a total of 16-under, as
Tony Finau (67) and Matt Fitzpatrick (70) were fourth at 15 under.
The
2021 and 2022 champion, Viktor Hovland after a sedate 73-73 on the first two
days improved on the third to 70 and then exploded on the final day with a 63
that had three birdies and eagle on either side and one bogey on the 16th.