With the exception of 2020, when the Covid-19 pandemic intervened, the Hero World Challenge has taken place every year since 2000.
It began life as the Williams World Challenge, when Tom Lehman triumphed by three over David Duval at Greyhawk Golf Club in Arizona.
Back then, just 16 players competed in the event, which was established by Tiger Woods and his father Earl to, per its official website, “make a positive impact on the lives of kids from under-resourced communities.”
You may like
A year later, the event moved to Sherwood Country Club in California, where it stayed until 2014 before Isleworth in Florida was given the honor.
However, its home for the last 10 editions, including 2025, has been Albany in the Bahamas, with the latest iteration, which sees a field of 20 of the world’s best players compete, coming in 2021.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
As well as Duval, some of the world’s biggest names have lifted the trophy, including Woods on five occasions, Vijay Singh, Jordan Spieth, Hideki Matsuyama, Jon Rahm, Viktor Hovland and current champion, Scottie Scheffler.
So, given its established place in the golf calendar and the impressive caliber of players it attracts, does the victor get to count it as a PGA Tour win? The short answer is “no,” and it’s to do with its status.
The Hero World Challenge is sanctioned by the PGA Tour and appears in its schedule. However, it is an unofficial event, albeit with several similarities – and differences – to official tournaments.
Since 2009, players have accumulated world ranking points at the event, with the 2025 edition offering just over 30 to the winner.
Scottie Scheffler is the defending champion
(Image credit: Getty Images)
That’s more than the DP World Tour’s Nedbank Golf Challenge and the Australian Open, which are taking place in the same week.
You may like
Meanwhile, it also offers more world ranking points than several official PGA Tour contests, including two in the recently concluded FedEx Cup Fall, the World Wide Technology Championship and the Butterfield Bermuda Championship.
Another element that makes it comparable to an official PGA Tour event is prize money, which in 2025 stands at $5m with the winner earning $1m.
That’s more than several official PGA Tour events, including “opposite field” tournaments such as the Barracuda Championship.
However, there are a couple of key differences that separate it from official events. One is that money earned doesn’t count toward a player’s official PGA Tour money, while another is that it doesn’t offer FedEx Cup points.
As a result of its unofficial PGA Tour status, it also means that for the player who wins the Hero World Challenge, it won’t count as a PGA Tour title.
