Scottie Scheffler’s bogey-free run at Albany Golf Course came to a sudden end on the 18th hole Thursday, dropping the world’s No. 1-ranked player into a five-way share of the lead after the first round of the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas.
Scheffler, competing for the first time since the Ryder Cup in September, carded seven birdies through his first 15 holes to sit alone atop the leaderboard. He then left his approach shot on the par-4 18th hole short and right of the green, and knocked his third past the hole to the fringe — just a few feet from rolling toward the water.
Scheffler still had a putt from just outside of 20 feet to close out a bogey-free round, but the attempt slid right of the hole.
“I felt pretty good. I think there’s always going to be some rust in there,” said Scheffler, who’s vying to become the event’s first three-time defending champion. “But I don’t really think about that when I’m out there playing, I’m just trying to shoot a score.”
Scheffler will now begin Friday’s second round tied with Akshay Bhatia, Wyndham Clark, J.J. Spaun and Austria’s Sepp Straka, who each carded 6-under-par rounds of 66 on Thursday. That’s a full quarter of the 20-player field for the unofficial PGA Tour event hosted by Tiger Woods.
Bhatia did manage a bogey-free round that included a hole-out for eagle from the greenside bunker on the drivable par-4 seventh. He also birdied the final hole that tripped up Scheffler.
Bhatia’s seeking a win this week ahead of getting married next week — also in the Bahamas — and admitted he’s been spending more time focused on preparing for the 2026 PGA Tour season.
“I didn’t really do much planning. I pretty much just helped with, you know, I got my tux and got it fitted and that’s about it,” he joked. “Definitely been I would say working very, very hard. I know a lot of guys that like to have full time off and now they have kids and more important things than just golf, but for me right now I still enjoy practicing every day.”
Bhatia is competing for the first time since hiring caddie Joe Greiner, who split with Max Homa in April after six years. Like Bhatia, Greiner is a left-handed golfer.
“I think certain golf courses, certain shots, certain cues that we have, he really understands that,” Bhatia said. “I think from the majority of lefties that I’ve met, Phil (Mickelson), Bubba (Watson), myself, very creative and I think lefty has something to do with that, I believe. It’s an exciting thing for me for someone to see a shot the way I do.”
United States Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley and Canada’s Corey Conners are a shot off the pace at 5 under, followed by the trio of Andrew Novak, Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama and England’s Justin Rose.
Jordan Spieth, who has not competed since June while recovering from neck and back injuries, is tied for 17th at even par. He reached 3 under with three straight birdies on the front nine, but gave a shot back on the eight hole. Spieth then reeled off seven consecutive pars before scuffling home with a pair of bogeys.
Woods is not playing while recovering from a seventh procedure on his back on Oct. 10.
