Ron Wood recommended a 1-point bet on Hideki Matsuyama at 11/1 in the “without Scottie Scheffler” market. Matsuyama lifted the trophy here in 2016 and, while he has not teed it up at Albany since 2018, the layout’s forgiving fairways offset his occasional driving inaccuracy. Wood highlighted Matsuyama’s elite short game and noted that he arrives with back-to-back PGA Tour top-10 finishes, signaling form is trending. With Scheffler a heavy favorite, Wood sees the rest of the board as wide-open and believes 11/1 is generous for Matsuyama to be best of the rest given his course history, skill set, and recent momentum.

Ron Wood advised staking 2 points on Scottie Scheffler to win the Hero World Challenge at 6/4 odds. Wood’s case is straightforward: Scheffler is the world No. 1 and owns course-horse numbers at Albany, finishing 2nd in 2021 and 2022 before winning by three shots in 2023 and by six in 2024. He has also captured six of his last 12 worldwide starts, two of those majors, so current form is elite. With Viktor Hovland and the next four players in the OWGR sitting out, the 20-man field lacks anyone near Scheffler’s ceiling. Albany’s wide fairways and a calm weather forecast reduce volatility and amplify his ball-striking edge. Wood concluded that 6/4 is a fair price for a near three-peat and labeled Scheffler a must-back outright.