Nick Dunlap at 2024 Hero World Challenge: ‘To be in the Bahamas when I should be a junior in college is unbelievable’

The 20-year-old Dunlap might otherwise be prepping for a run at a national title.

NASSAU, Bahamas – Nick Dunlap should be a junior at the University of Alabama, prepping for a run at a national title but instead he’s a two-time winner on the PGA Tour, the favorite to win the Arnold Palmer Award for Rookie of the Year and a sponsor exemption into the 20-man field this week at the 2024 Hero World Challenge at Albany Club.

“A whirlwind,” the 20-year-old said during a pre-tournament press conference in summarizing his year. “Just to be sitting here at his tournament and to be in the Bahamas when I should be a junior in college is unbelievable and I definitely don’t take it for granted.”

Dunlap’s life changed when he won The American Express in late January, becoming the first amateur to win on the PGA Tour since Phil Mickelson in 1991 and just the third to do so since 1957. He turned pro shortly thereafter and validated the decision with another trophy after carding seven birdies and an eagle in his final round at the Barracuda Championship, his first win as a pro.

The scoring book of Nick Dunlap at the Hero World Challenge 2024 at Albany Golf Course. (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

“Eight months ago I was sitting at a table with all my teammates playing college golf. The world’s come at me a little quick…you know, a lot of learning, ups and downs, but I’ve seen some really, really cool places and I’m getting to compete against the best players in the world week in and week out and it’s an honor,” said Dunlap, who teed off in the first round at 11:41 a.m. ET alongside Sam Burns.

This week, Dunlap is staying with another former Alabama standout, Justin Thomas, who made his own headlines as a prodigy when he played his first Tour event at age 16 in the 2009 Wyndham Championship.

HERO: Leaderboard | Photos

“It was weird talking to him last night asking what he was going to do for his 21st birthday, that hasn’t happened yet,” said Thomas, who has sprinkled in some big brother advice along the way. “I wish there are things I would have known at that age that just would have been helpful. Like anybody that I’m friendly with at that age, I want to be a resource and help if I can. But it’s not my place to barge in, but to kind of know I’m here type thing. It’s totally different, but it’s not harder than it needs to be, right? It’s just golf and you’re still trying to beat everybody, it’s just at a different level.”

Dunlap and tournament host Tiger Woods share an interesting claim to fame – they are the only two players to win both the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship and the U.S. Amateur.

Dunlap said he hasn’t pestered Woods for any advice, adding “Just to see him is enough for me.” But he has picked up some useful tips from Will Zalatoris. The two played a practice round at the Players Championship in March and Dunlap noted it wasn’t anything Zalatoris told him but he learned a great deal from how Zalatoris spent his time studying the course.

“It was just watching the way he prepared for that golf tournament and strategically where he chipped from, where he putted from, where he hit iron shots to, it was eye opening to me because I never really paid that much attention in practice rounds,” he said. “From there on out I took a step of actually learning the golf course on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. It may only save you a half a shot or a shot and that could mean the difference at the end of the year.”

During his crash-course introduction to the Tour this season, Dunlap determined that his good form is good enough to win, but when his game is off key it isn’t where it needs to be yet to be able to perform the way he’d like to every week.

“I still play like a 16-year-old sometimes and that’s going to not allow you to play the weekend,” he observed. “As I kind of learned, it’s not necessarily the great finishes that help you for the season-long race, it’s how do I turn a 50th into a 25th or how do I turn a missed cut into a 35^th.”

Dunlap has the look of a star in the making and with more experience the sky could be the limit for the 20-year-old who is just starting to get comfortable with life on Tour.

“Yeah, just being more comfortable in my own skin and my own game and knowing that I don’t have to change anything, I just have to get better at a couple things to be able to compete out here,” he said.

Dunlap shot a 4-under 68 on Thursday to tie his playing partner Burns, four back of leader Cameron Young.

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler debuts claw putting grip at 2024 Hero World Challenge

Scheffler is shaking it up.

Scottie Scheffler dominates every statistical category on the PGA Tour, expect on the greens. In an effort to improve his Strokes Gained: Putting number, Scheffler debuted a new putting grip on Thursday during the first round of the 2024 Hero World Challenge.

“Took a look at it this offseason and figured this is a good week to try stuff just because you can practice and practice and do all the stuff at home, but there’s just something different about being in competition. I really enjoyed the way it felt, I felt like I’m seeing some improvements in my stroke,” he said after his 5-under 67.

He used the new grip on shorter putts, but reverted back to a conventional right-hand low grip on longer efforts.

“I feel like my speed has always been extremely good, especially from long range. I think I’ve always been a really, really good lag putter. That’s an area where I don’t think I would see much improvement with the grip,” he said. “The closer I get to the hole, kind of that inside 15-foot range, I think that’s where I’m seeing a lot of the benefits of it.”

The World No. 1, who won in Albany last season, ranked 77th in SG: Putting in 2024, an improvement from 162nd in 2023.

Another significant jump in that number in 2025 would be a nightmare for the rest of the Tour.

Hero World Challenge: Photos | Tournament hub

Check out Scheffler’s new grip below.

Check out the best photos from Tiger Woods’ 2024 Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas

Doesn’t get much better than Albany.

This week, golf’s silly season kicks off with the 2024 Hero World Challenge at Albany in the Bahamas. Tiger Woods once again plays host, but this time around he’s not in the field. He did, however, cover an array of subjects during his pre-tournament press conference on Tuesday, including an update on the PGA Tour-PIF deal.

As for the players teeing it up on Thursday, Scottie Scheffler looks to defend his title and will be joined by Justin Thomas, Sahith Theegala, Patrick Cantlay, Tom Kim and Jason Day, among others.

This week’s winner won’t earn FedEx Cup points, but he will get Official World Golf Ranking points as well as $1 million of the $5 million purse.

Here are some of the best photos from the Bahamas.

Hero World Challenge: Tournament hub

Best photos from Hero World Challenge

At the Hero World Challenge, Scottie Scheffler joked that he and Tiger ‘talked about money and how the purses need to be bigger’

Asked what he and Tiger discussed on the golf course, Scheffler showed his humorous side.

NASSAU, Bahamas – Scottie Scheffler’s three-shot victory at the 2023 Hero World Challenge proved to be the perfect springboard into this season. The world No. 1 won seven times on the PGA Tour, including his second Green Jacket at the Masters and was the gold medalist at the Paris Olympics. He’s confident that this week at The Albany could spur another sublime season.

“It’s good being back here in the Bahamas, it’s always a fun tournament for us to come play in,” he said. “I think it’s a good warmup for the year, kind of see where everything’s at. Kind of come down here, compete, have some fun in the Bahamas and get ready for the next season to start.”

But after such a tremendous season, Scheffler was asked what he’s been working on during his off-season to get even better.

“Just the same stuff I’ve always been working on,” he said. “After I take a bit of a break it usually takes me a little while to make sure my swing is in a good spot. I wouldn’t say bad habits but just to make sure my swing is in a place that I like it and then to continue to just enhance the stuff that I’ve been working on the last couple of years.”

2024 Hero World Challenge — Scottie Scheffler tees off the seventh hole during a pro-am prior to the Hero World Challenge 2024 at Albany Golf Course in Nassau, Bahamas. (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Last year, Scheffler added a new putter before the Hero and was in the early stages of working with putting coach Phil Kenyon. He topped the field in the putting stats at the Hero and his work with the short stick made great strides in 2024, improving from No. 162 in Strokes Gained: Putting last season to No. 77 this year. Will there be any equipment changes for next season?

“No, ’24 went pretty well,” Scheffler said. “Getting better isn’t something that happens overnight. It takes a lot of time and I still feel like there are areas that I can improve upon without making drastic changes to the DNA of what I do.”

Why mess with success?

Scheffler’s got jokes, too

During Scheffler’s pro-am round on Wednesday, tournament host Tiger Woods, who isn’t competing this week, popped out to watch Scheffler and the two chatted on and off between shots. Asked what the two discussed, Scheffler showed his humorous side and deadpanned, “Most of the time we just talked about money and how the purses need to be bigger. Today we really grinded on the Ryder Cup and how it’s just such BS that we’ve never gotten paid. Tiger was really frustrated, he feels like he hasn’t made enough money in his career. I feel the same way, I feel like last year I didn’t get paid enough for what I did. Mostly that, just a bunch of griping.”

Laughter ensued before Scheffler made the point that he’s never played golf for money.

“I played golf because I love the game, I love competition. My motivating factor has never been more money and I feel like I think there’s a lot of stuff in this life and in this game that you can do for money and I’ve never been one of those players that has gone out and seeked to try to build the best business brand for myself,” he said. “What I love is I love coming out here and competing and playing golf, I go home and love living my life. I play because I love the competition.”

Could there be another successful title defense this week? He faces a 20-man field, which is weaker than in past years – just three of the top 10 players in the world are playing here this week (Scheffler, Ludvig Aberg and Wyndham Clark). Then there’s the fact that in his last 12 no-cut tournaments, he has five victories; no one else has more than one.

“His consistency has been absolutely absurd,” NBC Sports commentator John Wood said. “Sometimes that can take a lot out of you. When you’re there every single week the pressure builds and it’s exhausting.”

But given Scheffler’s other-wordly ball-striking it wouldn’t surprise him to see Scheffler remain the dominant player.

“That’s the one thing that travels,” Wood said referring to Scheffler’s precision in hitting fairways and greens. “The fact that he hits the ball so well makes me believe he can have as good if not a better year (in 2025).

Tony Finau shoots down LIV Golf rumors and gives legit reason for withdrawing from Hero World Challenge

Finau gave Golfweek a good explanation for why he withdrew from this week’s Hero World Challenge.

NASSAU, Bahamas — There’s a good explanation for why Tony Finau withdrew from this week’s Hero World Challenge. Finau underwent surgery on Oct. 15 to repair a torn meniscus and remove cartilage in his left knee.

“From what my doctor told me it was pretty standard clean up,” he told Golfweek via phone on Wednesday. “He said it would be helpful and so I did it.”

Finau’s WD from the Hero and the fact he hasn’t officially registered for the Sentry, the kickoff to the 2025 PGA Tour season, fueled speculation on social media that Finau, ranked No. 26 in the Official World Golf Ranking and one of the game’s most popular players off of his appearance in Netflix’s “Full Swing” documentary, may be headed to LIV Golf.

“They’re not true,” he said of the rumors and called the sources “random people” and “not credible.” He continued. “I’m more than happy where I’m at on the PGA Tour and looking forward to 2025. When I tee it up in Maui, it will all go away, so, I don’t worry about it one bit.”

Tony Finau plays his shot from the cart path along the first fairway during the first round of the 2024 Tour Championship. (John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports)

Finau, 35, said his knee will be “ready to rock and roll” in time for the Sentry, which begins Jan. 2. For now, Finau is still working his way back to full strength and was a late scratch last week from the Hero Challenge, a tournament he has competed in the last four years with a career-best of second in 2018. He had never finished worse than T-7.

“I called Tiger and made sure he knew,” Finau said. “He said, ‘I would’ve told you to do the same thing.’ ”

Finau said the knee had bothered him all season, but he was able to wait until after playing for the victorious U.S. side at the Presidents Cup before undergoing surgery. He didn’t hurt his knee on a particular shot, but his doctor said the injury was caused by wear and tear through the years. Particles of cartilage had been floating around in his knee and causing inflammation. He hasn’t been able to bend down to read putts for several years, he said.

Finau had a similar issue with his right knee in previous seasons but opted out of surgery on his right knee, choosing to do therapy and training.

Finau is currently scheduled to compete in the Grant Thornton Invitational, a team event with the LPGA where he is paired with Nelly Korda. Finau is a Grant Thornton ambassador and while playing two weeks in a row seemed to be too much too soon, he said his knee is improving and said he’s 50-50 for next week, noting he’s still having trouble getting out of bunkers and putting weight on his lead leg on bunker shots.

“That’s my biggest issue right now,” he said. “I’ll go over and practice the next couple of days and see how I feel and make a decision.”

But Finau is pleased with the progress his knee is making and is confident he will be ready to go on the PGA Tour in January.

“The last couple of seasons have been kind of rough with my knees,” he said. “I’m optimistic about this coming season about being more fully healthy than ever.”

Hero Shot: Aaron Rai wins the day and a cool Tiger Woods memento

Check out photos from the Hero Shot.

ALBANY, Bahamas — As he aimed a wedge shot at a floating target set up in the largest water hazard at Albany Club, Aaron Rai was asked whether he ever had hit a golf ball so close to Tiger Woods.

“Only in my dreams,” he said.

Reality was pretty cool, too, as Rai earned the Hero Shot at Albany championship on Tuesday to kick off the 2024 Hero World Challenge. Rai defeated Jason Day in the final round, walking off with the championship thanks to landing two of three shots on the platform floating between the ninth-hole and 18^th-hole greens.

Rai defeated a field that also featured Nick Dunlap, Akshay Bhatia, Robert MacIntyre, Justin Thomas and Day. The pressure mounted as the points added up and tournament host Tiger Woods watched on and commented (not hitting any shots) as the players took aim at the target 87 yards away from the tee box situated behind the 18^th green.

Day, for one, expressed frustration he had to listen to Tiger chirping at him that he had hit his shot fat.

“Some of them were,” he conceded.

The first round of the Hero Shot featured each player taking six shots at the target, with balls landing in an outer ring worth 250 points, those coming to rest in the inner circle worth 500 and any ball splashing down in the two-foot-diameter cup worth 1,000 and an automatic advancement to the next round. The sixth ball in each round – the “Hero Ball” – was worth double points.

Bhatia kicked things off as he dunked his fourth shot of the first round on the bullseye to advance. Rai and Day set the pace with 4,000 first-round points each. Dunlap fell just short of advancing to the second round, falling just 500 points behind the advancing trio.

In the second round, Bhatia and Day each scored 3,000 points and were forced into a shot-for-shot playoff to face Rai (4,000 second-round points) in the final. A game of rock-paper-scissor determined the order of play. After Bhatia hit the inner circle, Day knocked it closer to advance.

Check out photos from the Hero Shot.

Tiger Woods on Ryder Cup pay: ‘I hope they would get $5 million each and donate it all to charity’

Woods’s sentiment has remained consistent over the years.

NASSAU, Bahamas – Tiger Woods supports the idea of American players being paid to play in the Ryder Cup – but with one stipulation. He said players should give their share to charity.

Woods’s sentiment has remained consistent over the years.

“I would have to say that going back to my playing days, we had the same conversation back in ’99 and it was we didn’t want to get paid, we wanted to give more money to charity, and the media turned it around against us and said we want to get paid,” Woods said on Tuesday during a press conference ahead of the Hero World Challenge. “No, the Ryder Cup itself makes so much money, why can’t we allocate it to various charities? And what’s wrong with each player, 12 players getting a million dollars and the ability to divvy out to amazing charities that they’re involved in that they can help out? It’s their hometowns, where they’re from, all the different junior golf associations or endeavors that the members are involved in.”

In an Aug. 11, 1999 story in the Washington Post, Woods said: “I would like to see us receive whatever the amount is, whether it’s $200,000, $300,000, $400,000, $500,000 and I think we should be able to keep the money and do whatever we see fit. I personally would donate all of it to charity. With all the money that’s being made, we should have a say in where it goes.”

More: Tiger Woods thought PGA Tour-PIF negotiations ‘would have happened quicker than this’

The PGA Tour began giving a $250,000 stipend to competitors beginning at the 2022 Presidents Cup, which they no longer are required to give to charity. A Tour spokesman told Golfweek in October that it was considering following suit for Ryder Cup players. Sources said that it would be more than the $250,000. The Telegraph later reported the figure to be $400,000. Woods has upped the dollar amount he’d like to see.

“I hope they would get $5 million each and donate it all to charity, different charities. I think it’s great. What’s wrong with that?” he said.

Rory McIlroy, speaking in Dubai recently, said he’d be willing to pay to play in the Ryder Cup. He added: “I don’t think any of the 24 players on either team needs that 400 grand. Every two years, there are 104 weeks and 103 weeks you can play golf and get paid.”

“That’s fine, that’s their right to say that,” Woods said. “I just think that the event is so big that I think that we can give so much money to different charities, and I’ve said that since ’99 when we had the Brookline negotiations. If the Europeans want to pay to be in the Ryder Cup, that’s their decision to do that, that’s their team. I know when it’s on European soil that it subsidizes most of their Tour, so it is a big event for the European Tour and if they want to pay to play in it, so be it.”

Woods added: “It’s never really been about getting paid, it’s how can we allocate funds to help our sport or help things that we believe in back home, because it’s so hard to get onto that team, there’s only 12 guys. What’s wrong with being able to allocate more funds?”

Tiger Woods thought PGA Tour-PIF negotiations ‘would have happened quicker than this’

“But things are very fluid, we’re still working through it, it’s happening daily.”

Golf’s Civil War doesn’t seem any closer to a conclusion than when it started.

It has been a year and a half since the PGA Tour and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund announced a framework agreement for the pair to work on creating a for-profit entity to reunite men’s professional golf.

That was June 6, 2023. As of December 2024, no agreement has been made, and even Woods didn’t anticipate negotiations to continue into a third year.

“I think all of us who have been a part of this process would have thought it would have happened quicker than this,” Woods said Tuesday at his pre-tournament news conference ahead of the 2024 Hero World Challenge. “Even if we had gotten a deal done by now, it’s still in the DOJ’s hands, but we wish we would have had something more concrete and further along than we are right now.

“But things are very fluid, we’re still working through it, it’s happening daily. From a policy board standpoint or from an enterprise standpoint, things are moving and they’re constructive. But yes, definitely moving.”

Hero: Why isn’t Tiger Woods playing the Hero World Challenge? ‘I’m not tournament sharp yet’

Still, questions remain as to whether a deal is every going to come to fruition. Just last week, reports came out that the PIF is working on negotiating a deal with the DP World Tour, and LIV Golf continues to negotiate with PGA Tour players ahead of the 2025 season for both leagues.

Yet Woods, who isn’t playing this week as he continues to recover from back surgery in September, preached patience.

“This is an active negotiation and things are happening daily, weekly and it’s evolving,” Woods said. “We all want to get past this and to do what’s best for the Tour and in trying to do that, there’s going to be — some eggs are going to be knocked over and it’s going to be a little bit difficult at times, but in the end we’re going to get a product that’s better for all the fans and all the players that are involved and get some peace that the game desperately needs.”

Hero World Challenge: Tournament hub | Picks to win at Albany

Sitting next to Woods for his news conference was Dr. Pawan Munjal, the executive chairman of Hero MotoCorp. Hero is a major sponsor in the world of golf. The duo announced Tuesday an extension until 2030 for Hero to sponsor the World Challenge.

In addition, Hero also sponsors events on the DP World Tour, LPGA, Indian Tour and more. That has made it difficult for numerous sponsors, including Hero.

“The game is not benefiting, the players are not benefiting,” Munjal said. “What has to happen is everyone gets back together and the game moves on, the players move on, the sponsors move on. There is confusion for the sponsors as well right now, what to do, where to go, how to look at the future. The future is uncertain, which is not a good thing.”

Although Woods says sides are progressing, it seems a deal isn’t coming before the end of the year.

However, that doesn’t mean unity isn’t approaching.

“I think something will get done. In what form or shape, I don’t know yet,” Woods said.

Why isn’t Tiger Woods playing the Hero World Challenge? ‘I’m not tournament sharp yet’

“I know the procedure helped, and hopefully that I can then build upon that.”

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Tiger Woods wanted to play his event this week in the Bahamas, the Hero World Challenge.

But after his latest back surgery Sep. 13, his body wasn’t quite ready.

“I’m not tournament sharp yet,” Woods said Tuesday at his pre-tournament news conference. “I’m still not there. These are 20 of the best players in the world and I’m not sharp enough to compete against them at this level. So when I’m ready to compete and play at this level, then I will.”

If that sounds regurgitated, it’s because it is.

Woods, who turns 49 later this month, has said constantly he won’t tee it up unless he feels like he can compete with the best players in the world. He wants his body and game to be in a place where he feels like he can win, and he won’t play if he doesn’t believe he can achieve those heights.

Less than three months after another surgery, Woods isn’t quite there yet.

“I didn’t think my back was going to go like it did this year. It was quite painful throughout the end of the year and hence I had another procedure done to it to alleviate the pain I had going down my leg.”

“I’m not tournament-sharp yet.”

Tiger Woods begins his remarks at the Hero World Challenge with an update on his health, and why he decided not to play this week. pic.twitter.com/bN3B8xPJlq

— Golf Today (@GCGolfToday) December 3, 2024

Last year at the Hero World Challenge, Woods said he would love to play once a month in 2024. He ended up playing five times in six months before his latest procedure.

What’s the plan look like for 2025?

“Whether my commitment going forward is once a month, yeah, I could say that all over again, but I truly don’t know,” Woods said. “I’m just trying to rehab and still get stronger and better and feel better, really give myself the best chance I can going into next year.

“This year was kind of — I had to toss it away and I wasn’t as sharp as I needed to be and I didn’t play as much as I needed to going into the major championships and I didn’t play well at them. Hopefully, next year will be better, I’ll be physically stronger and better. I know the procedure helped, and hopefully that I can then build upon that.”

Hero World Challenge 2024 odds, course history and picks to win

It’s time for a fun week in The Bahamas.

Golf’s silly season is here, and the first tournament up to bat is Tiger Woods’ Hero World Challenge in Albany. Although the 15-time major champion isn’t in the field, we’ll still be treated with some of the best players in the world including Scottie Scheffler, Justin Thomas, Ludvig Aberg, Wyndham Clark and Patrick Cantlay, among others.

Tony Finau, amid countless LIV Golf rumors circulating around social media, withdrew from the field on Monday.

Because this isn’t an official PGA Tour event, the winner will not earn any FedEx Cup points. One thing is official, however — the money. Sunday’s champion will go home with $1 million of the $5 million purse.

Without further ado, let’s jump into our betting preview and see who we’ll be targeting in The Bahamas.

Hero World Challenge: Tournament hub

Golf course

Albany Golf Course | Par 72 | 7,449 yards

2023 Hero World Challenge — Scottie Scheffler plays his shot from the 18th tee during the final round of the Hero World Challenge at Albany Golf Course on December 03, 2023 in Nassau, Bahamas. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

Hero World Challenge betting odds

Player	Odds	Player	Odds
Scottie Scheffler	(+220)	Sahith Theegala	(+2200)
Ludvig Aberg	(+850)	Jason Day	(+2200)
Justin Thomas	(+1000)	Robert MacIntyre	(+2500)
Sungjae Im	(+1400)	Akshay Bhatia	(+2500)
Sam Burns	(+1400)	Aaron Rai	(+2500)
Russell Henley	(+1400)	Keegan Bradley	(+2500)
Patrick Cantlay	(+1600)	Cameron Young	(+2800)
Wyndham Clark	(+1800)	Sepp Straka	(+3000)
Brian Harman	(+2000)	Nick Dunlap	(+3500)
Tom Kim	(+2000)	Matthieu Pavon	(+8000)

[gambcom-standard rankid=”3413″ ]

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Picks to win the Hero World Challenge

Justin Thomas

Odds: 10/1

Analysis: Woods’ best buddy has finished T-5 or better in four straight appearances at the Hero, including a third-place finish last December. In his last Tour start, the Louisville product tied for second at the Zozo Championship in Japan.

Tom Kim

Tom Kim walks on the first green during the third round of the 2024 FedEx St. Jude Championship at TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tennessee. (Mike Mulholland/Getty Images)

Odds: 20/1

Analysis: In a 20-man field, getting +2000 odds for Tom Kim is too good to pass up. Despite missing the cut in his latest Tour start — Shriners Children’s Open — Kim finished second a week later at the DP World Tour’s Genesis Championship. He’s played in the Hero once, finishing T-10 in 2022.

Robert MacIntyre

Odds: 25/1

Analysis: Unlike many of the players in this field, MacIntyre has been playing golf this fall. In his last two DP World Tour starts, the Scot finished T-19 at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and T-7 at the DP World Tour Championship. This will be MacIntyre’s first appearance at the Hero.