The 2024 Hero World Problem is probably not an official PGA Tour occasion, however do not inform Cameron Younger that. The previous PGA Tour Rookie of the 12 months was flawless Thursday at Albany GC, firing a bogey-free 8-under 64 to open up a two-stroke lead over Justin Thomas at Tiger Woods’ annual occasion.
“I drove it nice … I am positive I missed a fairway or two, however for probably the most half I used to be rather well in place,” Younger mentioned. “Then I made a pair putts early, which was good. Simply type of obtained off to a pleasant begin with the putter. There is a bunch of par 5s and a pair drivable holes, so I really feel that should you’re on high of it, particularly off the tee, you may make a bunch of birdies.”
Younger’s first three birdies all got here from exterior 10 toes; he transformed on scoring possibilities from 21 toes, 13 toes and 11 toes on Nos. 2-4. Regardless of not profiting from the final two par 5s on the entrance 9, Younger was nonetheless ready so as to add a pair circles to his scorecard and switch in 5 underneath.
The par-5 birdies got here flying on the again 9 when Younger transformed efforts on each events earlier than including one final to his scorecard on the par-3 seventeenth. Younger’s 64 matches his profession low within the Hero World Problem, however issues will solely get extra enjoyable from right here as a star-studded chasing pack nips at his heels.
Along with Thomas’ title occupying a slot on the primary web page of the leaderboard, these of Scottie Scheffler, Patrick Cantlay, Ludvig Åberg, Sahith Theegala and Akshay Bhatia do as properly — only one additional again at 5 underneath. Scheffler carded a closing birdie to push his title inside the highest 5 because of a brand new placing grip. That can be one thing to regulate over the following 54 holes as he goals to turn into the second straight participant to go back-to-back within the Bahamas.
The chief
1. Cameron Younger (-8)
Younger has but to nab a victory in his PGA Tour profession, so it makes excellent sense that the Hero World Problem can be the place for him to seek out the winner’s circle. Regardless of 2024 being statistically his worst season on the PGA Tour, Younger nonetheless discovered his method into rivalry at an honest clip. He fell brief on the Valspar Championship, Vacationers Championship and Rocket Mortgage Traditional, however these experiences ought to solely serve him properly the extra he’s in that place.
“I did not play nice yesterday,” Younger mentioned. “You at all times really feel like you may shoot a quantity like that, however I actually felt very properly in management, which is not essentially shocking, but it surely’s a pleasant factor to come back out and simply really feel like your self. Yeah, actually pleased with it. I really feel like with the motive force I used to be simply actually comfy and that is an enormous key out right here.”
Different contenders
2. Justin Thomas (-6)
T3. Scottie Scheffler, Ludvig Åberg, Patrick Cantlay, Sahith Theegala, Akshay Bhatia (-5)
T8. Robert MacIntyre, Nick Dunlap, Sam Burns, Keegan Bradley (-4)
Placing is on the forefront of this golf match. Younger made his justifiable share from distance, Scheffler switched issues up, and Thomas might have discovered one thing on the greens. Rating as a bottom-10 putter on the PGA Tour in 2024, Thomas was sluggish out the block Thursday earlier than catching hearth on the again 9.
Of his six birdies on the inward half en path to a back-nine 30, three got here from exterior 9 toes, together with conversions from 15 toes on Nos. 14 and 17 amid a run of 4 straight circles on his scorecard. His recreation was a little bit of a rollercoaster this previous season, but when that putter stays sturdy, it ought to result in extra consistency and a greater likelihood at elevating his first trophy because the 2022 PGA Championship.
Scheffler’s swap
It would not be a real Hero World Problem if a big-name participant wasn’t making a change of some type, and this week it simply occurs to be the world No. 1. Scheffler debuted a noticed placing grip on the follow inexperienced and carried it over to the golf course for close-range putts (i.e. these inside roughly 20 toes).
Scheffler made just one putt exterior six toes, however possibly extra importantly, he didn’t miss any inside that vary. Based on Information Golf, the Masters champion ranks eleventh in placing from exterior 30 toes, 72nd in placing from 5 to 30 toes and 157th in placing from inside 5 toes. With how properly he strikes his irons, Scheffler faces his justifiable share from that distance, and will he begin changing on a extra constant foundation, his 2024 might show to simply be an appetizer.
“I am at all times in search of methods to enhance, and I felt like this was one thing that we had checked out final yr when Phil [Kenyon] and I first began working collectively, but it surely was actually our first time working collectively and it is one thing that is totally different than what I’ve completed prior to now,” Scheffler mentioned. “You realize, this yr I had thought of it on occasion, and it was one thing that we had simply mentioned ‘let’s desk that for the top of the season, check out it.’
“Took a have a look at it this offseason and figured this can be a good week to strive stuff simply because you may follow and follow and do all of the stuff at dwelling,” Scheffler continued, “however there’s simply one thing totally different about being in competitors. I actually loved the best way it felt, I felt like I am seeing some enhancements in my stroke.”
2024 Hero World Problem up to date odds and picks
Golf betting odds beneath supplied through DraftKings Sportsbook. Take a look at the most recent DraftKings promo to get within the recreation.
- Scottie Scheffler: 2-1
- Justin Thomas: 5-1
- Cameron Younger: 6-1
- Ludvig Åberg: 9-1
- Patrick Cantlay: 10-1
- Sam Burns: 14-1
Let’s simply carry on shopping for. Scheffler wasn’t as sharp as he normally as is. He missed his quantity with a scoring membership in hand greater than as soon as and even dunked one within the water on the par-5 ninth. He closed proper round this worth forward of the match, so it seems like nearly as good a time as any to leap in or proceed piling on. If Scheffler’s worth is simply too steep in your style, Bradley’s quantity at 30-1 appears lengthy since he sits solely 4 off the early tempo.
