Hero World Challenge Round 1 Recap

Welcome to “Silly Season,” folks. It’s that special time of year when the rest of the sports world is bundled up in parkas, but the PGA Tour’s elite are soaking up the sun in the Bahamas. But don’t let the island vibes fool you—the Hero World Challenge is underway at Albany Golf Course, and despite the relaxed dress code and holiday atmosphere, the scorecard doesn’t lie. These guys came to play.

If you were hoping for a rusty, post-Thanksgiving version of Scottie Scheffler, I have some bad news for you. The World No. 1 and two-time defending champion showed up looking like he hadn’t taken a day off.

Scottie Scheffler Dominates Early at Hero World Challenge

It took Scheffler exactly 15 holes to remind the field who the boss is. He surged to 7-under par, grabbing the solo lead faster than most of us can find the remote. Watching Scheffler play Albany is like watching a master class in efficiency. He started his day doing typical Scottie things—draining birdies on two of his first three holes, including a massive 28-footer on No. 2 that effectively announced, “I’m back.”

Scheffler has never finished worse than second in his four starts here. If Thursday was any indication, the rest of the field is playing for silver. He’s comfortable, he’s dialed in, and frankly, it’s a little terrifying for everyone else.

A Crowded Leaderboard In the Bahamas

While Scheffler is the headline, he isn’t the only story. The leaderboard at the Hero World Challenge is packed tighter than a holiday shopping mall. Akshay Bhatia, sporting a new caddie on the bag, came out firing. The lefty electrified the crowd by holing out for eagle from a greenside bunker on the par-4 fourth hole. He posted a 6-under round, proving he’s not just there for the scenery.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Open champions decided to crash the party. Wyndham Clark was sitting pretty at 6-under through 12 holes, and J.J. Spaun was right there with him. It was birdie fest, which is exactly what we want to see. We aren’t watching golf in December to see guys grinding out pars; we want fireworks, and Albany is delivering.

Tiger Woods Returns As Host, Not Player

The elephant in the room, or rather, the Tiger on the cart, is obviously the host himself. Tiger Woods is sitting this one out as he recovers from back surgery in October. It’s always a bummer not to see the Big Cat tee it up at his own event, but having him on the grounds adds a certain gravitas that no other tournament can replicate.

This week is supposed to be an exhibition, a fun way to cap off the year. But with $1 million to the winner and serious bragging rights on the line, the 2025 Hero World Challenge feels a lot more like a heavyweight prize fight. Scheffler has thrown the first punch, but with this much talent on the links, we’re in for a wild weekend.