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The final elite field of 2023 was always going to be worth a watch.
Norway's Viktor Hovland is attempting to win a hat trick of titles. Scottie Scheffler is looking to finally crack the winning code – he’s finished second behind Hovland in each of the last two years. Collin Morikawa will be hoping to wipe away memories of how he frittered away a five-shot lead in this event two years ago – he did much the same in the Tournament of Champions a few weeks later and didn’t win again until claiming the ZOZO Championship a few weeks ago. Former course and tournament winner Rickie Fowler has never finished outside the top 10 since the move to the Bahamas in 2015. There’s more, much more, but it has all been overtaken by the news that the tournament host Tiger Woods – who laboured through the majors in 2022 and only managed a brief appearance at Augusta National this year – is making a competitive return this week. The sport moves up three or four gears with the involvement of Woods and although we will limit our expectations this week there is no doubt that there will be plenty of discussion. Is this a send off? Will he hint at being capable of more? Maybe even become a contender again? Surely not but then who would doubt this extraordinary sportsman. The course at Albany is an Ernie Els design that was opened 13 years ago. It has sandy, somewhat desert-like scrub land off the fairways which themselves are wide to accommodate what are typically blustery tradewinds. The par of 72 is made up of a slightly quirky five par-3s and five par-5s, two of the par-4s can be attacked from the tee and there is Bermuda grass on the greens. Bubba Watson won the first edition on this course in 2015. He was succeeded by a rampant Hideki Matsuyama in 2016, Rickie Fowler won in 2017, Jon Rahm in 2018 and Henrik Stenson in 2019. After no tournament in 2020, Hovland has been supreme in those last two editions. Bill Haas tied himself in knots, saying “length is an advantage” but then adding: “But I also think a guy like me and Zach Johnson can do well.” Watson was afraid when he saw the small greens but then enjoyed himself. Justin Rose said that if the greens ever get hard it will be difficult – soft and they can be attacked. There has been no rain this week and none is expected in the forecast, it will be sunny and, at the moment, the wind is not predicted to be especially wild.
Angles to consider 1/ Similar courses Hovland was already a winner in Puerto Rico and Mexico on resort courses by the sea, Stenson is a multiple winner in the Middle East on blustery resort tracks, Watson, Matsuyama, Fowler and Rahm all like desert golf (remember that desert-like scrub) and the latter two, especially, have played well in the wind. 2/ Happy to attack Take those five par-5s and two short par-4s into account – there is the opportunity to go low here and, when the weather permits it, that opportunity cannot be wasted. 3/ Form All seven of the winners here had teed it up in November of the year of their win. Moreover, five of them had recorded top four finishes.
Selections
The above angles have been used to create a shortlist from which the following players are selected.
Viktor Hovland Only three players in the field have top four finishes in November. Homa was a winner in South Africa but this doesn’t shout itself as a test he’ll thrive on (especially given the price). Justin Thomas struggles to win. Hovland loves this course and is high on confidence. Wyndham Clark He was only T37th in the Dunlop Phoenix a couple of weeks ago but he did at least play in November. He’s finished top five in the Bahamas on the KFT, he’s got top 10 finishes in Puerto Rico, Bermuda and the Dominican Republic. Been very good in this part of the world in other words.
Brian Harman Another who teed it up in November, in the RSM Classic where he closed out with a 66. He has top 10s at Sea Island, Harbour Town, Sawgrass, Kapalua, Waialae and El Camaleon which all bode well for this week. Can go low.
Tips 0-3; -6.00pts
2pt win Viktor Hovland at 4/1 (bet365, Coral, Ladbrokes, BetFred) * Look also for enhanced win options 10th
1pt e.w. Wyndham Clark at 25/1 (Unibet, SpreadEx, BetMGM 1/5 1,2,3,4) 19th 1pt e.w. Brian Harman at 33/1 (Paddy Power, BF Sportsbook 1/5 1,2,3,4,5) 8th
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