FOR THE 18 players vying for supremacy at this week’s €3.8 million Chevron World Challenge, merely competing in the Tiger Woods-hosted event is confirmation of a successful year.
With the notable exception of four-times champion Woods, who has not won a tournament for more than two years, every other player in the invitational field at Sherwood Country Club is ranked in the world’s top 50. While the title at Sherwood is unofficial, the Challenge offers official world ranking points and the player who finishes last on Sunday is guaranteed €105,000.
“I played a pro-am here maybe five years ago, and I watched my dad (Jay) play the event,” American Bill Haas said. “I remember he was saying this should be one of your goals . . . to get here one day, so it’s a great feeling to be inside the ropes playing this event.”
Haas earned his first World Challenge spot after a career-best PGA Tour campaign highlighted by victory at the season-ending Tour Championship along with FedExCup honours and its €7.5 million bonus. “I had an unbelievable finish there, and the way the points all worked out for me to win the FedExCup was pretty amazing,” Haas said of his windfall at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta.
Since then, the 29-year-old has kept busy, playing in the Australian Open, representing his country at the Presidents Cup and competing in China. “It seems the better you play, the less off-season you have,” the world number 22 said with a broad grin. “But these are all good problems to have.”
This week will be a significant one for Woods as he seeks to win his first tournament since the 2009 Australian Masters. A year ago, he was poised to end his title drought when he began the final round with a four-shot lead over US Open champion Graeme McDowell. However, he eventually lost to McDowell in a play-off. A victory this week would validate the encouraging form Woods recently displayed in Australia during that country’s national open and at the Presidents Cup.
American world number five Dustin Johnson is expected to be sidelined until at least early January after having knee surgery on Tuesday. Johnson underwent arthroscopic surgery to repair cartilage damage.
WORLD CHALLENGE
Course: Sherwood Country Club, Thousand Oaks, California.
Prize money: €3.7 million. (€893,000 to the winner)
Length: 7,027. Par: 72. Field: 18.
The layout: Rated one of the best courses in the US, with mature oak trees on a picturesque layout. Plenty of birdie chances on the short par fives. Loose hitting will be punished by the many streams and water-hazards.
Defending champion: Graeme McDowell beat Tiger Woods in a play-off.
Type of player suited to challenge: Straight hitter.
Key attribute: Accuracy.
Weather forecast: Clear, cool and breezy.
On TV: Sky Sports 2 from 8pm
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