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Why is the Hero World Challenge starting on a Wednesday?

December 3, 2019

Golf fans, there’s an adjustment coming to your routine this week.

Those of us eagerly awaiting the chance to see many of the top players in the world tee it up at the Hero World Challenge might have noticed something different about the tournament’s schedule.

The Hero, Tiger Woods’ annual tournament in the Bahamas, is slated to start Wednesday and end Saturday this week. The scheduling is an obvious departure from the traditional Thursday through Sunday layout of most events on Tour, but comes with good reason.

The Hero is moving up its tournament schedule a day in order to accommodate players’ travel plans for next week’s Presidents Cup. Principally responsible for the change is the 16-hour time difference and day-long flight to reach Royal Melbourne in Australia, the Presidents Cup venue.

This week’s playing field features all-but-one member of next week’s U.S. team. Dustin Johnson pulled out from the Hero over the weekend in order to preserve his health for the Presidents Cup. Johnson hasn’t played competitively since undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery in the beginning of September.

In Johnson’s place, Chez Reavie joins the group of golfers at the Hero looking to dethrone reigning-champion Jon Rahm. The red-hot Rahm comes into the tournament a favorite for the $1 million payday as the newly minted European Tour Golfer of the Year.

Tee times from Albany Golf Club in the Bahamas begin Wednesday morning at 10:40 a.m. ET., with television coverage available throughout the week on both NBC and Golf Channel.

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