The Tribune

MATT Fitzpatrick earned the Hero Shot at Albany championship yesterday to kick off the 2022 Hero World Challenge.

Fitzpatrick defeated Tom Kim in the final round, walking off with the championship thanks to a bullseye hit on the tricky, 87-yard shot into the wind.

Fitzpatrick defeated a star-studded field competing in the Hero Shot at Albany which also featured tournament host Tiger Woods, Justin Thomas, Max Homa, Tommy Fleetwood, Billy Horschel and Kim.

The players took their best shots at a floating target in the pond between the ninth and 18th greens at Albany.

The first round of the Hero Shot featured each player taking six shots at the target, with balls landing in an outer ring worth 250 points, those coming to rest in the inner circle worth 500 and any ball splashing down in the two-foot-diameter cup worth 1,000.

The sixth ball in each round – the “Hero ball” – was worth double points.

Fitzpatrick (1,500 points), Kim (1,250) and Homa (1,000) advanced through the first round.

In the second round, Homa hit first and totalled 1,000 points, and Kim surpassed him with 1,250.

Fitzpatrick then delighted the crowd by dunking his first shot, and hit his second in the outer ring to secure his place in the championship round.

Fitzpatrick was last to hit in the championship round, and made a big splash with his second dunk of the day to secure the title.

Hero World Challenge tournament rounds will be held on Thursday, December 1 to Sunday, December 4 at Albany, bringing the event back to The Bahamas for its seventh year.

Live television coverage of the 2022 Hero World Challenge will be provided by GOLF Channel during all four rounds and by NBC during the third and final rounds. Proceeds from this year’s Hero World Challenge benefit the TGR Foundation, Tavistock Foundation and Bahamas Youth Foundation.