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Aaron Rai, one of eight debutants in a field of 20 and one of three Indian-origin players in the star-studded World Challenge, made an impressive start by winning the Hero Shot, the curtain-raiser to the $5 million event hosted by Tiger Woods.
In the final, Rai landed two of three shots on the floating platform situated between the ninth and 18th greens, defeating Jason Day. The fast-paced event featured six competitors selected from the main field of 20, who will compete in the 72-hole tournament from December 5 to December 8. The Hero Shot took place shortly after Hero's Executive Chairman Dr Pawan Munjal and Woods announced an extension of their partnership until 2030. This year's tournament, which has only featured one Indian player in the past--Anirban Lahiri in 2016--will see three Indian-origin players in the field: Aaron Rai, Sahith Theegala, and Akshay Bhatia, all of whom have previously won on the PGA Tour. The participation of these players highlights the global nature of the game. Rai's parents are of Indian origin, and his mother grew up in Kenya, though they now reside in England, where Rai was born. Theegala's parents emigrated from Andhra Pradesh, India, to the United States, while Bhatia's parents also moved to the U.S. His mother is currently in India attending a family wedding. Theegala, who turns 27 the day before the tournament begins, and Bhatia were both born in California. Rai triumphed over the other Hero Shot competitors, who each hit six shots at a target floating in the lake next to the 18th green. The field included Nick Dunlap, Bhatia, and Robert MacIntyre, all newcomers like Rai, as well as seasoned players Justin Thomas and Day, both of whom have Major titles. Tournament host Woods and Dr Munjal, who earlier in the day expressed hope for greater unity in the world of golf, watched as players aimed at the target, located 87 yards from the tee box behind the 18th green. During the first round, each shot was scored based on its landing zone: balls in the outer ring earned 250 points, the inner circle 500 points, and those sinking into the two-foot-diameter cup earned 1,000 points and automatic progression. The sixth ball, dubbed the "Hero Ball," was worth double points. Bhatia kicked off the competition by sinking his fourth shot directly into the bullseye, securing his advancement. Rai and Day led the first round with 4,000 points each. Dunlap narrowly missed advancing, falling 500 points short. In the second round, Bhatia and Day each scored 3,000 points, forcing a shot-for-shot playoff to determine who would face Rai (4,000 points) in the final. Day edged out Bhatia with a closer shot in the playoff. In the final round, Rai maintained his momentum, landing two shots on the target compared to Day's one. His second successful shot clinched the title, with the trophy presented by Dr Munjal. Returning to the Bahamas for the ninth year, the tournament sees World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler defending his title. The field features eight members of the victorious U.S. Presidents Cup team--Scheffler, Wyndham Clark, Patrick Cantlay, Theegala, Keegan Bradley, Russell Henley, Sam Burns, and Brian Harman--and three from the International team: Sungjae Im, Tom Kim, and Day. Eight players are making their tournament debuts, including Ludvig Aberg, Theegala, Henley, MacIntyre, Rai, Matthieu Pavon, Bhatia, and Dunlap. Scheffler, the reigning FedExCup champion and 2024 Olympic gold medallist, won seven times on the PGA Tour this year. Woods, a five-time event winner, announced he would not compete this year as he continues to recover from back surgery. Live coverage of the 2024 World Challenge will be broadcast in India via Fan Code. Proceeds from the event will benefit the TGR Foundation, Tavistock Foundation, and Bahamas Youth Foundation. Tee times for Round 1 of the World Challenge 2024 at Albany, Bahamas: 10:46 a.m.: Aaron Rai and Matthieu Pavon10:57 a.m.: Brian Harman and Russell Henley11:08 a.m.: Cameron Young and Sepp Straka11:19 a.m.: Robert MacIntyre and Akshay Bhatia11:30 a.m.: Sungjae Im and Tom Kim11:41 a.m.: Nick Dunlap and Sam Burns11:52 a.m.: Ludvig Aberg and Jason Day12:03 p.m.: Wyndham Clark and Patrick Cantlay12:14 p.m.: Scottie Scheffler and Sahith Theegala12:25 p.m.: Justin Thomas and Keegan Bradley. (ANI)
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