Hero World Challenge Golf Tournament

The Hero World Challenge is the short-field invitational hosted by Tiger Woods and benefiting the Tiger Woods Foundation that is played every December. The tournament is not part of any golf tour, but it does offer world ranking points to the participants. (The PGA Tour includes this tournament on its schedule as an "unofficial money" event; a win here does not count as a PGA Tour victory and no FedEx Cup points are awarded.)

The Hero World Challenge is a 72-hole, no-cut, stroke-play tournament. The field is comprised of the four reigning major championship winners (assuming they choose to play, of course); the defending champion; the top 11 available players in the world rankings (or more if any of the preceding choose not to play); and two sponsor exemptions. Plus Woods, if he doesn't fall into any of the above categories.

2019 Tournament
Henrik Stenson shot 32 over the final nine, 66 total in the final round, to better runner-up and defending champion Jon Rahm by one stroke. Stenson's total was 18-under 270. Tournament host Tiger Woods finished in solo fourth.

2018 Hero World Challenge
Jon Rahm fired a final-round 65 to claim the trophy. Rahm finished at 20-under 268, which beat runner-up Tony Finau by four. Rahm and Finau entered the final round tied, but Finau shot 69.

2017 Tournament
Rickie Fowler won it by shooting a tournament-record 61 in the final round. Fowler set the new 18-hole scoring record for this event, lowering by one the previous record held by tournament host Tiger Woods. Speaking of Woods, he returned from back surgery to shoot 8-under 280, tied for ninth place. Fowler finished at 18-under 270, four strokes better than runner-up Charley Hoffman.

Official website

PGA Tour tournament site

Hero World Challenge Scoring Records

• 18 holes: 61 - Rickie Fowler, 2017
• 72 holes: 262 - Jordan Spieth, 2014

Hero World Challenge Golf Courses

In 2015, the tournament moved to The Bahamas, the luxury resort of Albany on the island of New Providence. In 2014, the tournament was played at Isleworth Country Club in the Orlando, Florida, area. (Woods once owned and lived in a house at Isleworth.) The first tournament in 1999 took place at Grayhawk Golf Club in Arizona. Every tournament from 2000 through 2013 was played at Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks, California.

Hero World Challenge Trivia and Notes

• Tournament host Woods dominates the history of the Hero World Challenge, winning five times. In addition to the victories, he also lost in a playoff in 2013.
• Other multiple champions are Davis Love III and Graeme McDowell, each of whom won twice.
• In 2016, Woods made his return to competition in this event after missing all of the 2016 PGA Tour season following back surgery. He shot 65 in the second round and finished at 4-under 284. In 2017, Woods again used this even as his place to return from back surgery. That time he finished at 8-under 280.
• Rickie Fowler won the 2017 tournament with a 61 in the final round, lowering the tournament's 18-hole scoring record by one. The man whose record he broke? Woods, who has scored 62 twice.
• "World Challenge" has always been part of the tournament's name, but the title sponsor has changed frequently. Earlier title sponsors are listed below. The current title sponsor is Hero MotorCorp, and India-based maker of 2-wheelers, motorbikes and scooters.

Winners of the Hero World Challenge

(p-won playoff)

Hero World Challenge
2019 - Henrik Stenson, 270
2018 - Jon Rahm, 268
2017 - Rickie Fowler, 270
2016 - Hideki Matsuyama, 270
2015 - Bubba Watson, 263
2014 - Jordan Spieth, 262

Northwestern Mutual World Challenge
2013 - Zach Johnson-p, 275

World Challenge presented by Northwestern Mutual
2012 - Graeme McDowell, 271

Chevron World Challenge
2011 - Tiger Woods, 278
2010 - Graeme McDowell, 272
2009 - Jim Furyk, 275
2008 - Vijay Singh, 277

Target World Challenge
2007 - Tiger Woods, 266
2006 - Tiger Woods, 272
2005 - Luke Donald, 272
2004 - Tiger Woods, 268
2003 - Davis Love III, 277
2002 - Padraig Harrington, 268

Williams World Challenge
2001 - Tiger Woods, 273
2000 - Davis Love III, 266
1999 - Tom Lehman, 267