FedExCup champion Viktor Hovland will tee it up for the first time since his win at East Lake Golf Club when he participates in the 2023 Hero World Challenge beginning on Thursday. Hovland is the two-time defending champion at the Tiger Woods-hosted event, becoming the first player since Woods (2006-07) to go back-to-back. Scottie Scheffler will have revenge on his mind after finishing in second place in each of the last two years. Hovland is the 4-1 favorite in the 2023 Hero World Challenge odds, sitting just ahead of Scheffler (9-2) on the PGA odds board.
Some of the other 2023 Hero World Challenge contenders include Max Homa (8-1) and Collin Morikawa (8-1). Homa has five consecutive top-10 finishes on the PGA Tour, but should you include him in your Hero World Challenge 2023 bets? Before locking in your 2023 Hero World Challenge picks, be sure to see the golf predictions and projected leaderboard from the proven computer model at SportsLine.
Our proprietary model, built by DFS pro Mike McClure, has been red-hot since the PGA Tour resumed in June 2020. In fact, the model is up more than $9,000 on its best bets since the restart, nailing tournament after tournament.
McClure’s model predicted Jon Rahm would finish on top of the leaderboard at the 2023 Sentry Tournament of Champions and The American Express. And at the 2023 Masters, the model was all over Rahm’s second career major victory heading into the weekend. Rahm was two strokes off the lead heading into the third round, but the model still projected him as the winner. It was the second straight Masters win for the model, which also nailed Scottie Scheffler winning in 2022.
In addition, the model included Nick Taylor in its best bets to win the 2023 RBC Canadian Open. That bet hit at +7000, and for the entire tournament, McClure’s best bets returned nearly $1,900. McClure’s best bets also included Jason Day (17-1) winning outright at the 2023 AT&T Byron Nelson and Rickie Fowler (14-1) finishing on top of the leaderboard at the 2023 Rocket Mortgage Classic.
This same model has also nailed a whopping 10 majors entering the weekend. Anyone who has followed it has seen massive returns.
Now that the 2023 Hero World Challenge field is set, SportsLine simulated the tournament 10,000 times, and the results were surprising. Head to SportsLine now to see the projected leaderboard.
Top 2023 Hero World Challenge predictions
One major surprise the model is calling for at the 2023 Hero World Challenge: Collin Morikawa, a two-time major champion and one of the top favorites, struggles this week and doesn’t even crack the top five. He won the Zozo Championship in October with an impressive final round 63, but this will be his first time playing since that event. Morikawa was scheduled to play in “The Netflix Cup” two weeks ago before withdrawing due to a back injury.
The 26-year-old has dealt with back injuries throughout the season, as he also withdrew from the Memorial Tournament in June due to muscle spasms. He returned two weeks after that, but he finished outside the top 10 at the U.S. Open. Morikawa has never finished better than T-5 at the Hero World Challenge, giving bettors multiple reasons to avoid him at short odds this week.
Another surprise: Jordan Spieth, a 20-1 longshot, makes a strong run at the title. He has a much better chance to win it all than his odds imply, so he’s a target for anyone looking for a huge payday. Spieth has previous experience winning this tournament, as he took home the title in 2014. He has recorded three straight top-six finishes at Albany, so he will be confident entering Thursday’s opening round.
Spieth went winless on the PGA Tour this season, but he had seven top-10 finishes in 22 events. The 30-year-old made the cut in his final four events of the season, including a T-6 showing at the FedEx St. Jude Championship in August. He ranked inside the top 15 in one-putt percentage this season, making him a valuable longshot at a course where he has excelled in recent years. See who else to pick here.
How to make 2023 Hero World Challenge picks
The model is also targeting two other golfers with odds of 20-1 or longer to make a strong run at the title. Anyone who backs these longshots could hit it big. You can only see the model’s picks here.
Who will win the Hero World Challenge 2023, and which longshots will stun the golfing world? Check out the 2023 Hero World Challenge odds below and then visit SportsLine to see the projected 2023 Hero World Challenge leaderboard, all from the model that’s nailed 10 golf majors, including this year’s Masters and Open Championship.
2023 Hero World Challenge odds, field
See the full Hero World Challenge 2023 picks, best bets, and predictions here.
Viktor Hovland +400
Scottie Scheffler +450
Collin Morikawa +800
Max Homa +800
Matt Fitzpatrick +1600
Justin Thomas +1600
Cameron Young +1600
Sam Burns +2000
Jordan Spieth +2000
Rickie Fowler +2200
Tony Finau +2200
Wyndham Clark +2200
Brian Harman +3000
Will Zalatoris +3300
Keegan Bradley +3500
Jason Day +3500
Sepp Straka +3500
Justin Rose +3500
Lucas Glover +5500
Tiger Woods +8000