A Compelling Hero World Challenge

The Hero World Challenge may feel like an exhibition tournament, but the 2024 edition provided compelling storylines as we eye the start of the 2025 season.

Wielding an experimental 46-inch driver, Justin Thomas played his way into his second consecutive final pairing, holding a one-stroke lead over Scottie Scheffler through three rounds. Ultimately, JT didn’t give the world No. 1 too much of a run for his money, and Scheffler coasted to a six-shot win over Tom Kim. Despite the lackluster Sunday performance, Thomas should carry some confidence into the new calendar year. His excellent iron play and short game were sharp as usual. And his lengthened driver unleashed a few extra miles per hour of ball speed, leading him to rank first in both Driving Distance and Strokes Gained: Off the Tee despite a few loose swings. Thomas mentioned that this driver is reserved for specific golf courses that offer ample room off the tee, but if he can get comfortable using that driver consistently, he may unlock a new dimension to his game. His continued putting woes, however, remain unsolved.

As for Scheffler, it was another clinical, dominant Sunday performance, closing with a final-round, 9-under 63, four shots better than the second-lowest score of the day. Sunday was a reminder that nobody in the sport closes golf tournaments like Scheffler.

Notably, Scottie’s tournament was not free from experimentation, either. He tried out a new putting technique, a “Claw” grip, on short-range putts. For what it’s worth, Scottie ranked third out of the 20-man field in Strokes Gained: Putting for the week. I’m not making too much out of his putting numbers given the small sample size and low-stakes nature of the Hero World Challenge. Nonetheless, an interesting development to track!

This piece originally appeared in the Fried Egg Golf newsletter. Subscribe for free and receive golf news and insight every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.