Steve Palmer's Hero World Challenge predictions & free golf betting tips + a £40 free bet

When to bet on the Hero World Challenge

By 3.46pm on Thursday

It’s also worth noting that Paddy Power are offering a £40 free bet that you can grab here ahead of the event.

Where can I watch the Hero World Challenge

Live on Sky Sports Main Event and Golf from 6.30pm on Thursday

Steve Palmer's Hero World Challenge predictions

Viktor Hovland
5pts each-way 7-2 BoyleSports

You can bet on the Hero World Challenge here and get £40 in golf free bets from Paddy Power

Steve Palmer's Hero World Challenge preview

Tiger Woods competes on Thursday for the first time since the Masters – teeing up as tournament host in the Hero World Challenge at The Albany. The 15-time Major champion has suffered a litany of injury setbacks, but feels fit enough to take his place in the elite Hero field.

Will Zalatoris is also making a comeback from a long layoff, having had back surgery in April, so the 20-man Hero field includes two extremely rusty players.

Steve Palmer's top tip

Viktor Hovland 7-2

Magnificent Norwegian Viktor Hovland, arguably the best player in the world on current form, looks set to complete a hat-trick of Hero World Challenge triumphs this week.

Hovland won the World Challenge in 2021 on his Albany debut, then defended the title 12 months ago. The odds about this greens-in-regulation machine retaining his Albany dominance with a third consecutive success seem generous.

Each-way terms of a fifth the odds for the first five places are available, with Hovland at 7-2, so a healthy portion of the win bet can be funded by the place element, and it would be a shock to see the FedEx Cup champion finish behind five of his 19 Hero rivals.

Woods and Zalatoris are easing themselves back into action after injury, Jason Day has seemingly relentless health issues, while Wyndham Clark, Brian Harman and Lucas Glover are making their Albany debut. That makes six players who face a difficult task troubling Hovland.

The field is full of players who are out of form or putting poorly going into what is typically a low-scoring event. Max Homa won the Nedbank Challenge in South Africa last time out, but he finished 17th on his Albany debut 12 months ago, showing a dislike for the venue.

Scottie Scheffler has been shown great respect by bookmakers, having finished runner-up at this tournament in the last two years, but this is a man who essentially fell out of love with golf at the end of last season because his putting woes became so entrenched.

Scheffler is winless since the Players Championship in March, he endured a miserable Tour Championship, then he was literally in tears at the Ryder Cup after suffering a record-breaking 9&7 defeat against Hovland and Ludvig Aberg in the Saturday foursomes.

Scheffler, who failed to win a match at the Ryder Cup, wanted to forget about golf and put his clubs deep in the cupboard. Some rust for the Hero – an event he is probably playing only because Woods is the host – seems inevitable.

The last few months for Hovland have been the total opposite to Scheffler's. Hovland started a golden spell by winning the Memorial in June, following up with a spectacular FedEx Cup playoffs campaign, culminating in Tour Championship glory. The Ryder Cup was then a joy – he played superbly and contributed fully to Europe's success – then surprised himself with second place in the DP World Tour Championship on his competitive return the week before last.

Hovland expected to be rusty in Dubai but slipped straight back into a groove, thrilled with the state of his game. That sharpener makes him by far likeliest Hero champion and it is difficult to find credible alternatives in the outright market.

Collin Morikawa, who has a strong Albany record and won the Zozo Championship just over a month ago, may prove the biggest obstacle to the favourite. Hovland crushed Morikawa in the Ryder Cup singles, though, and would be expected to emerge triumphant again should they be paired together in the final Albany twoball on Sunday.

Course guide for the Hero World Challenge

• Course Albany, New Providence, The Bahamas
• Prize money $4.5m ($1m to the winner)
• Length 7,449 yards
• Par 72 – five par-fives, eight par-fours, five par-threes
• Field 20 (no cut)
• Highest-ranked players in field (world ranking in brackets) Scottie Scheffler (1), Viktor Hovland (4), Max Homa (7), Matt Fitzpatrick (8), Brian Harman (9)

• Course records - 72 holes 263 Bubba Watson (2015) 18 holes 61 Rickie Fowler (2017)
• Course winners taking part Rickie Fowler, Viktor Hovland (twice)
• When to bet By 3.46pm on Thursday
  

• When to watch Live on Sky Sports Main Event and Golf from 6.30pm on Thursday
  
• Time difference The Bahamas is five hours behind the UK and Ireland
  
• Course type Parkland
  
• Course overview The World Challenge's traditional home was Sherwood Country Club, California, where it was staged from 2000 to 2013, but it moved to Isleworth Country Club, Florida, in 2014, then to Albany in 2015. Albany is a luxury resort on the island of New Providence, which opened in December, 2010. Ernie Els designed the course and is a member there, along with Tiger Woods. The straightforward, open, relatively rough-free, links-style track encourages aggressive golf. The field size increased from 18 to 20 in 2021
  
• Story of last year Viktor Hovland successfully defended his title, defeating Scottie Scheffler by two shots – a repeat of the top two in 2021
  
• Weather forecast A mixture of sunshine and cloud, but pleasant temperatures throughout. Moderate breeze for the first two days, before a calm weekend
  
• Type of player suited to the challenge Bubba Watson overpowered Albany in 2015, going 13 under par for the five par-fives and 12 under par for the rest of the course. Big-hitters carrying hot putters can destroy this track
  
• Key attribute Power

Steve Palmer's Hero World Challenge key stat

The last four winners of the World Challenge have been European

Grab a £40 Paddy Power free bet on the 2023 Hero World Challenge

We’ve already mentioned that Paddy Power are offering a £40 free bet to place on all of the golf action at the event.

Here’s where you can follow these simple steps to grab your £40 free bet to place on Steve Palmer’s 2023 Hero World Challenge tips… it's fast, secure and straightforward.

1. Head over to Paddy Power through this link and click the Join button on their homepage
2. Create your username and password
3. Make a deposit of £10 or more using a card & place a bet on a sportsbook market with odds of 1-2 or greater
4. You will be rewarded with £40 of free bet tokens added to your balance

Paddy Power golf Hero World Challenge betting sign-up offer: terms and conditions

It's worth taking a few minutes to read through the terms and conditions associated with the new golf betting signup offer before signing up. Doing so will help you get a better grasp of the details of the Hero World Challenge free bets and what's expected of you as a new customer.

• New UK & ROI customers only
• Minimum deposit £10 bet at minimum odds of 1-2 to qualify 
• Get £40 in free bets, valid for 30 days
• SMS verification required
• Bets placed on Greyhound racing markets are excluded
• Only deposits via cards will qualify

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