Ernie Els designed the course at Albany, which opened in 2010
Albany in New Providence, the Bahamas – site of this week’s Hero World Challenge – was designed by Ernie Els and opened in 2010. It is part of a 600-acre luxury resort community owned by a Tavistock group that includes Els, Tiger Woods, and Justin Timberlake.
Albany ties for No. 20 on the 2021 list of Golfweek’s Best Courses in Mexico, the Caribbean, the Atlantic islands, and Central America. It will play at 7,302 yards with a par of 72 for the Hero World Challenge.
Thanks to yardage books provided by Puttview – the maker of detailed yardage books for more than 30,000 courses around the world – we can see exactly the challenges the pros face this week. Check out the maps of each hole below.
A loaded field makes for a fantastic week in the Bahamas.
It’s time for a trip to the Bahamas.
The biggest stars in the game are headed to Albany for a little getaway, where they’ll also play some golf.
Tiger Woods’ Hero World Challenge took a year off last season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but returns with an enormous amount of juice. Why you may ask?
Albany Golf Course
Par 72
7,309 yards
The Ernie Els design features a links-style layout, where the winning score will be somewhere around 18 under.
Weather
Day
Conditions
Percent chance of rain
Wind & Direction
Tuesday
Partly Cloudy
7 percent
8 MPH (NE)
Wednesday
Mostly Sunny
11 percent
10 MPH (E)
Thursday
Mostly Sunny
9 percent
9 PMH (NNE)
Friday
Partly Cloudy
6 percent
12 MPH (ENE)
Saturday
Partly Cloudy
14 percent
10 MPH (E)
Sunday
Partly Cloudy
23 percent
9 MPH (E)
Key Stats
Data Golf has Strokes Gained: Approach as their far-and-away most important stat for the week, and it makes sense. If you look back at the players who have won at this golf course over the years (Henrik Stenson, Jon Rahm, Hideki Matsuyama), they’re all fantastic iron players.
At a course with relatively large fairways, I always like to keep an eye out for the bombers. I’m not saying you have to be a long-ball hitter to compete here, but distance doesn’t hurt when you need to go low to win.
Data Golf information
Course Fit (compares golf courses based on the degree to which different golfer attributes — such as driving distance — to predict who performs well at each course – DataGolf): 1. PGA West (Palmer), 2. Warwick Golf and Country Club, 3. Detroit Golf Club
Trending (among the players in the field): 1. Justin Thomas (last three starts: 4, T-18, 3), 2. Bryson DeChambeau (T-31, 2, 7), 3. Rory McIlroy (T-14, 1, T-6)
Percent chance to win (based on course history, fit, trending, etc.): 1. Justin Thomas (8.7 percent), 2. Viktor Hovland (8.3 percent), 3. Bryson DeChambeau (7.9 percent)
Twilight 9
Download this week’s episode to listen to Andy and my preview of the Hero World Challenge: Apple | Spotify
We got killed at the RSM Classic with Russell Henley missing a top 20 finish by a shot. Good news: We’re still in the green over the last five events. We’re going to have to hit a winner pick this week with only 20 players in the field.
Betting card for the Hero World Challenge
Rory McIlroy – Top 5 (+125)
Rory McIlroy celebrates after winning the CJ Cup golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
The last time we saw Mr. McIlroy on the PGA Tour, he was lifting a trophy on the 18th green at the CJ Cup in Vegas. However, the last time we saw McIlroy on the golf course, he went full Hulk-mode on his shirt after finishing T-6 failing to convert on yet another 54-hole lead.
This will be McIlroy’s first appearance at Albany, but I think his game fits the course pretty well. Plus, when he’s in the field, I will bet on him. Every time.
Collin Morikawa – Top 5 (+130)
Collin Morikawa of the United States celebrates with the Race To Dubai trophy following and the DP World Tour Championship trophy after winning the DP World Tour Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates on November 21, 2021, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)
Here’s my thinking: One of these two guys will finish in the top 5. If both hit, great. If not, we’ll still pocket some cash.
Morikawa will become the No. 1 player in the world if he wins in the Bahamas this week. He’d become the second-fastest player in history to reach the top – you could probably guess who was the fastest.
His last start ended with new hardware for his trophy case.
Matthew Fitzpatrick – To win (+2000)
Matt Fitzpatrick of England tees off on the 10th hole during the first round of the Butterfield Bermuda Championship at Port Royal Golf Course on October 28, 2021 in Southampton, . (Photo by Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images)
I wanted to select a guy who comes into the week under the radar. Great in the wind, fantastic ball-striker, and can absolutely roll it.
Fitzy won in Spain a month and a half ago, and finished runner-up to Morikawa in Dubai in his last start.
Although it was an up-and-down season for Notre Dame, it still is worthy of competing for the national championship.
Although it was an up-and-down season for Notre Dame, it still is worthy of competing for the national championship. The NCAA Tournament will feature the Irish for the fifth consecutive time after the bracket was unveiled Sunday. However, the Irish (14-13-2) face a tall order after drawing second overall seed Boston College (17-5-1) in the first round. The teams will play in the Northeast Regional on Saturday in Albany, New York, and the winner will play either St. Cloud State or Boston University in the regional final the next day.
These schools did not play each other this past season as the Irish were confined to playing Big Ten opponents and Arizona State. Their last meetings took place early in the 2019-20 season, which resulted in two wins for the Eagles. That improved their all-time advantage in the series to 23-20-3. Prior to those games, the Irish had won four of the previous six in the series.
Eli Mencer is a versatile pass rusher who excels on the special teams and is ready to prove himself, perfect Seattle Seahawks material.
The Seattle Seahawks brought in a whopping 17 undrafted free agents from the 2020 class to compete for spots on the active roster.
Most years, teams are lucky to get one UDFA to make the squad, as they are primarily brought in to give the team extra bodies during training camp. However, the Seahawks have had plenty of luck in the past, going all the way back to Dave Krieg and including Jermaine Kearse, Doug Baldwin and more recently, defensive tackle Poona Ford.
This years class is sure to have some intriguing players in it, and one who could stand out above the rest is Albany defensive end Eli Mencer.
Mencer was given one of Seattle’s largest signing bonuses among the undrafted players, earning $8,000. That’s not always a sign the player is more likely to make the team, but it usually indicates multiple other teams were interested in his services, which is never a bad thing.
Mencer originally lined up at outside linebacker while at Albany, but he moved to defensive end and set a school record with 14.5 sacks in 2019, along with 24 tackles for loss, five forced fumbles and one fumble recovery for a touchdown.
Mencer also played special teams all four years in college, which will almost certainly be his path to playing time in the Emerald City.
The Seahawks love players with versatility and a willingness to serve on special teams, and they also love guys who feel they have a lot to proof – another reason Mencer is a near perfect fit.
“Coming from not really being highly recruited out of high school to going to a school like Albany, where being an FCS school, it’s tough to get drafted,” Mencer told the Altoona Mirror. “I’m not going to have a chip on my shoulder, but it’s another thing that prepared me for this opportunity.”
Seattle is still doing everything virtually at the moment, with the hope that training camp can go on as usual in the summer.
Previewing the 2019 Hero World Challenge and looking at the best fantasy golf selections for Albany.
The 2019 Hero World Challenge brings host Tiger Woods and 17 more of the top golfers in the world to The Bahamas for the final individual PGA Tour event of 2019. The Presidents Cup and QBE Shootout will run next week before the golf world takes a short hiatus ahead of the Sentry Tournament of Champions in the first week of January.
The event returns to Albany for a fifth consecutive year. Three of the previous four champions, including defending champ Jon Rahm, are back. A total of six of the top 10 golfers from the Official World Golf Ranking are in the field and competing for their share of the $3.5 million purse.
Fantasy Golf Rankings: Top 30
Here are my fantasy golf rankings for the 2019 Hero World Challenge at Albany.
18. Chez Reavie
Named as the replacement for Dustin Johnson last week, as the No. 4 golfer in the world withdrew in preparation for the Presidents Cup. He enters the week ranked No. 36 in the world, having moved up from No. 63 at the end of last year.
17. Kevin Kisner
Last played here in 2017 and tied for 12th. He enters in poor form having missed the cut at the RSM Classic and tied for 76th at the Mayakoba Golf Classic.
16. Henrik Stenson
Doesn’t have a win since the 2017 Wyndham Championship but has five top-10 showings in 2019. He was fourth here last year and was the runner-up in 2016.
15. Jordan Spieth
The 2014 Hero World Challenge champ got his victory at a different venue (Isleworth Country Club). He didn’t participate last year but was T-3 in 2017. He’s the top putter in the field, but his tee-to-green game remains a mess. Has the worst OWGR ranking among those in attendance (No. 44).
14. Bubba Watson
Holds the tournament scoring record at Albany at 25-under par set in his 2015 victory. He’s collected three top 10 finishes in 2019, but he missed the cut in two of his last five events with a top finish of T-28 in that time.
13. Matt Kuchar
The 23rd-ranked golfer in the world hasn’t won since last season’s Sony Open in Hawaii. He is a two-time runner-up in 2019 with four other top 10s matching his number of missed cuts.
Aug 25, 2019; Atlanta, GA, USA; Gary Woodland lines up his putt on the third green during the final round of the Tour Championship golf tournament at East Lake Golf Club. Photo Credit: Butch Dill – USA TODAY Sports
12. Gary Woodland
The reigning U.S. Open champ tied for eighth in his debut at Albany last year. He has slipped to No. 18 in the world after peaking at No. 12, but he is coming off a disappointing T-20 finish in a weaker field at the Japan Tour’s Dunlop Phoenix.
11. Bryson DeChambeau
Slipped from No. 5 in the world at this time last year to No. 12 entering this week. He hasn’t played in an event since finishing T-4 at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in the first week of October. A strong putter, but his ball-striking game hasn’t been in good enough form.
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10. Tony Finau
An expert ball-striker but he won’t have his usual advantage off the tee due to the tight confines of Albany with forced layups on the shorter holes. He was the runner-up last year, but he’s coming off a very disappointing missed cut in a weaker field at the Mayakoba Golf Classic.
9. Patrick Reed
Has struggled slightly with the flat stick of late. His 11th-place finish last year was his worst result in four attempts at Albany, but he was the runner-up in his 2015 debut.
Aug 23, 2019; Atlanta, GA, USA; Rickie Fowler walks to the fourth hole during the second round of the Tour Championship golf tournament at East Lake Golf Club. Photo Credit: Butch Dill – USA TODAY Sports
8. Rickie Fowler
The 2017 champ has never finished worse than his T-5 in 2018. The No. 22 golfer in the world hasn’t played a worldwide event since his 19th-place finish at the Tour Championship to conclude the 2018-19 season.
7. Justin Rose
Leads the field in Opportunities Gained over everyone’s last 36 rounds, per Fantasy National. He finished solo third last year following a T-5 in 2017. His last victory came at the Farmers Insurance Open, and he had six other top-10 showings in 2019.
6. Webb Simpson
Enters the week just outside the top 10 in the world ranking at No. 11 following his runner-up finish at the RSM Classic. He’s the only golfer in the field making his debut at Albany, but Rahm made his debut in victory a year ago.
5. Patrick Cantlay
Twice finished as the runner-up since the beginning of August at the BMW Championship and the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. Collected his second PGA Tour win at the Memorial Tournament and tied for fifth here last year.
4. Tiger Woods
The host is a five-time winner of this event but never at Albany. His top result at this venue was a T-9 in 2017. He got his first win of the season at the Zozo Championship in Japan, but he may be too focused on the Presidents Cup ahead of his duties as a player-captain.
3. Justin Thomas
Leads the field in Strokes Gained: Ball-Striking and Strokes Gained: Total but has been struggling with the putter. He failed to crack the top 10 in each of his previous two attempts at this event, but he already grabbed his first win of the season at the CJ Cup @ Nine Bridges in South Korea.
Aug 25, 2019; Atlanta, GA, USA; Xander Schauffele lines up his putt on the 18th green during the final round of the Tour Championship golf tournament at East Lake Golf Club. Photo Credit: Adam Hagy – USA TODAY Sports
2. Xander Schauffele
A T-8 finisher here last year, he is coming off a runner-up result at the WGC-HSBC Champions in China. He has one victory, three runner-ups and a third-place finish in 2019.
1. Jon Rahm
Leads the field with a world ranking of No. 3 following victories in each of his last two events, at the Open de Espana and the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai. He looks to defend his title at this event with a total of three victories, two runner-ups and two third-place results in 2019.
Analyzing the 2019 Hero World Challenge and which golfers are the best options for the event. Who will win at Albany?
Host Tiger Woods and 17 more of the top golfers in the world are in The Bahamas this week for the Hero World Challenge. The condensed field consists of six of the top 10 golfers from the Official World Golf Ranking, including Woods and defending champ Jon Rahm. It is played at Albany which measures 7,302 yards and plays as a par 72.
The showcase tournament is the final standard stroke-play event on the PGA Tour in 2019. The Presidents Cup and QBE Shootout will run next week. There’ll then be a brief hiatus before the Sentry Tournament of Champions and Sony Open kick off the 2020 portion of the schedule in the first two weeks of January from Hawaii.
The small field and champion pedigree of each of those in attendance means bettors need to adjust their strategies this week. Make fewer, larger wagers while focusing on those at the top of the board. Only three golfers — Bubba Watson, Kevin Kisner and Chez Reavie — have odds greater than +3000. Don’t go chasing higher payouts, as each of the past four champions entered the week ranked inside the top 10 of the OWGR.
Woods has won this event five times but not since 2011 and never at this venue. He claimed his first victory of the season at the Zozo Championship in Japan in late October but hasn’t played a pro event since. He finished second-to-last here last year, but he has since climbed to No. 7 in the world. Woods has the fourth-best world ranking among those in attendance and is fourth by the odds at BetMGM in a rare case of him not being overpriced as a public favorite.
Xander Schauffele +900
Schauffele enters the week ranked ninth by the OWGR. He most recently finished as the runner-up at the WGC-HSBC Champions following a T-10 at the Zozo Championship. He debuted at this event with a T-8 finish last year. He has been an excellent early-season performer over his young career and looks to stay hot ahead of his defense of the Tournament of Champions next month.
Webb Simpson +1200
Simpson is the second-best putter in this field behind Jordan Spieth (+2500), who will not be winning. He is coming off a solo runner-up finish at the RSM Classic and sits at No. 11 in the world ranking. This is his debut at Albany, but Rahm won in his debut a year ago.
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Dustin Johnson will take another week to recover from knee surgery earlier in the fall, but still plans to play the Presidents Cup.
Dustin Johnson’s recovery time has just grown by a week. The world No. 4 has not teed it up since the Tour Championship in August, and on Saturday announced that he won’t play the Hero World Challenge, either. Johnsonhad arthroscopic surgery in September to repair cartilage damage in his left knee.
Johnson made the announcement on Twitter. He specifically addressed the Presidents Cup, to be played the week after the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas. He automatically qualified for the U.S. team, and still intends to play despite his lack of competitive reps leading up to the matches in Australia.
“After a lot of careful thought and consultation, I have decided that it is in my best interest if I withdraw from next week’s Hero World Challenge,” he wrote. “While my recovery from knee surgery is complete, I feel another week of physical therapy and practice will best prepare me for the Presidents Cup. I have informed Captain Woods of my decision, which he fully supports and understands, and cannot wait to tee it up with him and my teammates next week in Australia.”
Chez Reavie will replace Johnson in the limited-field Hero event. It will be Reavie’s debut in that field.
During a PGA Tour radio interview in late September, Johnson said his rehab was progressing well and that he expected to be ready by the time the Hero rolled around.
In his last eight PGA Tour starts, Johnson has failed to produce a top-10 finish. It’s the longest such drought since his rookie year in 2008.
In a statement announcing Reavie’s entry in the field, Woods also addressed Johnson withdrawal.
“I wish Dustin the best and I know he’s disappointed not to be playing at Albany.”
