Hero World Challenge predictions: Golf betting tips and odds

Hero World Challenge predictions 

• Viktor Hovland to win Hero World Challenge – 4/1 Betfred 
• Max Homa to record top-10 finish – 4/11 Betway 
• Scottie Scheffler to be first round leader – 8/1 BetVictor 

Tiger Woods makes his long-awaited return to action at the Hero World Challenge, although the 15-time major winner faces a huge challenge to compete amid a talented field. 

Woods has been sidelined since The Masters when he was forced to withdraw in the third round with a recurrence of an ankle injury that required surgery.  

He was off the pace at Augusta anyway, and after his lengthy absence, the 47-year-old will need to hit the ground running in The Bahamas to have any hope of making an impression for the crown and is considered the rank outsider with UK betting sites.

Woods is a five-time winner at the Hero World Challenge, securing the last of his titles in 2011. But, Viktor Hovland will be the headline act as he pursues his third win in a row at the event. 

The Norwegian is among the next generation of talent that is taking over the game, and Hovland has another opportunity to showcase his brilliance after narrowly missing out at the DP World Tour Championship in his last tournament. 

Scottie Scheffler, Max Homa and Collin Morikawa are also among the challengers, so, we’re set for a thrilling four days at the Albany. 

Can Hovland make it three in a row? 

Hovland has been in sensational form in the second half of the year. A first major eluded the 26-year-old as he finished tied-second at the PGA Championship and seventh at The Masters. 

But, he was one of Europe’s standout players at the Ryder Cup, taking 3.5 points from his five matches.  

Hovland has also been on his mettle on the PGA Tour, winning three tournaments, including the Tour Championship where he ran away with the title by five strokes ahead of his nearest rival Xander Schauffele.  

He maintained his form in Dubai at the DP World Tour Championship and was only beaten by a fine performance from Nicolai Hojgaard by two strokes after the Dane produced an exhilarating eight-under final round.

Hovland has the form and confidence to enter the Albany to pursue a third-straight win. Only Hovland and Woods have won successive Hero World Challenge titles, which given the quality of the field, is quite the accomplishment. 

The Norwegian has bested Scheffler twice under the spotlight in the last two tournaments, edging out the American by one stroke in 2021 and two in 2022. 

Betting sites have noted Hovland’s form and history at the Hero World Challenge, installing him as the favourite for the victory. 

We believe that status is justified and we’re using our first prediction to back the Norwegian to claim the crown once more at odds of 4/1 with Betfred. 

Hero World Challenge Tip 1: Viktor Hovland to win Hero World Challenge – 4/1 Betfred

Homa one to watch 

Scheffler has been Hovland’s main rival in the last two Hero World Challenge events, but another American could be on course to challenge the Norwegian on this occasion. 

Homa enjoyed an impressive season on the PGA Tour, winning the Fortinet Championship and Farmers Insurance Open, and then secured another title on the DP World Tour with a triumph at the Nedbank Golf Challenge.  

Out of the 31 top-10 finishes in his career, 13 came in the last campaign.  

His form merited a place in the USA Ryder Cup team, and although Zach Johnson’s men slipped to a heavy defeat in Rome, Homa left the tournament with plenty of credit after taking 3.5 points from his five games. 

The 33-year-old was a model of consistency over the course of last season, but one criticism that could be levied has been his inability to close further victories, which could be an issue against the talent on show at the Hero World Challenge.  

He finished 17th at the event last term with a four-over card and will need to raise his game in The Bahamas. 

Given that he ended last season by recording five top-10 finishes in a row, we’re backing him to post, at least, another solid outing at odds of 4/11 with Betway. 

Hero World Challenge Tip 2: Max Homa to record top-10 finish – 4/11 Betway

Will Scheffler set the pace? 

Although Scheffler was far from his best at the Ryder Cup, you cannot overlook the world number one at an event where he has played exceptionally well, although one he is yet to win. 

The 27-year-old endured a miserable time in Rome for Team USA, mustering only one point out of a possible four, which came in halved matches in the fourballs and singles.  

He will have welcomed the time to reset after a busy year on the PGA Tour. Scheffler has come close to winning the Hero World Challenge in his last two appearances, losing out by narrow margins to Hovland.

The American was made to rue slow starts in both of those tournaments, carding an even-par round in 2022 compared to Hovland’s three-under opening burst.  

Scheffler will have made it a point of emphasis, and no player had a lower average first round score than him in the 2022/23 PGA Tour campaign at 67.91.  

With our final Hero World Challenge, we’re backing Scheffler to set the pace in The Bahamas at odds of 8/1 with BetVictor to be the first round leader. 

Hero World Challenge Tip 3: Scottie Scheffler to be first round leader – 8/1 BetVictor

Woods is the rank outsider for the event, and we’re not going to back the 15-time major winner to do much at all in The Bahamas. By his own admission his game is rusty, so it does not speak volumes about his hopes of competing.  

If you fancy an outside shot, you can sign up for new betting sites and take advantage of free bets that are available to back Woods for a shock win or alternatively a top-10 finish with the best odds of 14/5.