Scheffler bags Hero World Challenge for second year

New putting grip, same old Scottie Scheffler.

The World No 1 shot a blazing nine-under-par 63 on Sunday to repeat at the Hero World Challenge, winning by six shots over South Korea’s Tom Kim at Albany Golf Course in Nassau, Bahamas.

Scheffler rolled in nine birdie putts, the longest a 49-footer at the par-4 fourth hole, as he finished the week at 25-under-par 263 to win Tiger Woods’ exclusive exhibition tournament for the second consecutive December.

He stuck his approach shot at the par-4 18th inside four feet and finished up with a birdie.

Scheffler completed a banner year in which he won The Players Championship, the Masters, an Olympic gold medal and the Tour Championship.

“It’s been a great year, it’s been a fun year,” Scheffler said.

“I’ve been fortunate to get some wins and have some good golf.

“This was another week when I played solid and was able to see some nice results from that. Overall, it was a fun year.”

He wasn’t satisfied with his game and debuted a new putting grip that he said was introduced to him by his putting coach, Phil Kenyon.

“Phil calls it a claw, but he doesn’t even say that,” Scheffler said on Thursday. “He just says, ‘I want you to try a little bit’ and he points his hand like that and wherever my hand felt good, that’s where we settled.

“Not trying to think too much about it, trying to keep things simple.”

Scheffler held the 36-hole lead but was passed by Justin Thomas on Saturday.

Thomas had an uneven fourth round for his highest score of the week, a 71 (five birdies, four bogeys), and he finished third at 18 under, seven behind Scheffler and one behind Kim (final-round 68).

“It’s just disappointing,” said Thomas, who hasn’t won a tournament since the 2022 PGA Championship.

“I would have liked to put a little more heat on Scottie going in the back nine.

“I felt like I got a couple of bad breaks there on the par threes, the wind completely died or switched on five.

“But I can’t expect to have good things happen when I’m leading by one over Scottie and only shooting one under on Sunday.”

Akshay Bhatia (69) placed fourth at 15 under and US Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley (71) took fifth at 14 under.

Other notable finishes included Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg in sixth at 12 under; Patrick Cantlay in 11th at seven under; Brian Harman in 12th at six under; and Australian Jason Day tied for 19th (last) at one over with Russell Henley.

Woods did not play this week, saying before the tournament his health was “still not there” and he was not “tournament-sharp”.

Field Level Media