Aaron Rai, Indian-Origin Golfer, Triumphs in Hero Shot Before Woods' World Challenge

Albany (Bahamas), Dec 4 (NationPress) Aaron Rai, one of the eight first-time participants in the 20-player field and among three Indian-origin athletes competing in the prestigious World Challenge, made a remarkable entrance by clinching the Hero Shot, which serves as the opening act for the $5 million event organized by Tiger Woods.

In the final showdown, Rai successfully landed two out of three shots on a floating platform positioned between the ninth and 18th-hole greens, defeating Jason Day.

The exhilarating event featured six competitors selected from the pool of 20, all of whom will partake in the main 72-hole tournament scheduled from December 5 to 8. This event followed the announcement by Hero’s Executive Chairman Dr Pawan Munjal and Woods regarding the extension of their partnership through 2030.

This tournament has previously included only one Indian player, Anirban Lahiri (in 2016), but this year, it showcases three players of Indian descent: Sahith Theegala, Akshay Bhatia, and Rai, all of whom have achieved victory on the PGA Tour.

The presence of these three Indian-origin golfers highlights the international appeal of the sport. Rai’s parents hail from India, while his mother spent her early years in Kenya, though they currently reside in England, where Aaron was born.

Theegala’s family emigrated from Andhra in India to the United States, similar to the journey of Akshay Bhatia’s family, with his mother presently in India for a family wedding. Theegala, who will turn 27 a day prior to the event, and Bhatia were both born in California.

Rai triumphed over six competitors in the Hero Shot, each taking six shots aimed at a target on a floating platform adjacent to the 18th Green.

The Hero Shot field included newcomers like Nick Dunlap, Bhatia, and Robert MacIntyre, alongside veterans such as Justin Thomas and Day, who have Major titles to their names.

In the first round, each participant took six shots at the target, with balls landing in an outer ring worth 250 points, in the inner circle worth 500 points, and any ball that splashed into the two-foot-diameter cup worth 1,000 points, ensuring automatic progression to the next round. The sixth shot in each round, known as the “Hero Ball”, was worth double points.

Bhatia initiated the competition by successfully landing his fourth shot on the bullseye, guaranteeing his advancement. Rai and Day both set the initial pace, scoring 4,000 points in the first round. Dunlap narrowly missed advancing to the second round, falling short by 500 points.

In the second round, both Bhatia and Day scored 3,000 points, leading to a shot-for-shot playoff against Rai, who scored 4,000 points. After Bhatia hit the inner circle, Day managed to land his shot closer, advancing to the final.

In the concluding round, Rai maintained his impressive performance, hitting two balls on target while Day managed only one. Rai’s second successful shot earned him the title, and the trophy was presented by Dr Munjal.

This tournament, making its return to the Bahamas for the ninth consecutive year, sees World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler defending his title. The field includes eight members of the victorious US Presidents Cup team, namely Scheffler, Wyndham Clark, Patrick Cantlay, Theegala, Keegan Bradley, Russell Henley, Sam Burns, and Brian Harman, along with three members of the International team: Sungjae Im, Tom Kim, and Jason Day.

As many as eight players are making their tournament debut this year, including Ludvig Åberg, Theegala, Henley, MacIntyre, Rai, Matthieu Pavon, Bhatia, and Dunlap.

Scheffler is also the reigning FedExCup champion and the 2024 Olympic gold medalist, having won seven times on the PGA Tour in 2024.

Woods, a five-time victor of this event, has announced that he will not participate this year as he continues to recover from back surgery.

Proceeds from the 2024 Hero World Challenge will benefit the TGR Foundation, Tavistock Foundation, and Bahamas Youth Foundation.