The Hero World Challenge is all set to roll out in its full glory. This Tiger Woods event is loaded with some of the best players in the world, where Jordan Spieth will be making his very anticipated comeback, and Scottie Scheffler will be seen for the first time after his Ryder Cup failures. In the end, the trophy can only go to one. So, here are the top five players you need to look out for:

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1. The world’s best – Scottie Scheffler

Needless to say, Scottie Scheffler will be arriving at Albany, Bahamas, as the fan favorite. Not because he’s the world’s No. 1 player, but also because he has a chance to do something never done before: win the event consecutively for the third time. Players have defended their titles before, such as Tiger Woods (2006-07) and Viktor Hovland (2021-22). But Scheffler’s third time feat will be a record achievement.

He had a blast last year, where he registered a 25-under. Before, he was not too far behind either, finishing as runner-up in 2021 and 2022. So, a victory Hero World Challenge is anything but unrealistic. Backing this argument is his 2025 season.

Scottie Scheffler won six PGA Tour titles, including the PGA Championship and The Open. He topped 28 different statistical categories, including a scoring average of 67.99. That nearly matches Woods’ historic 67.99.

“He really doesn’t do anything wrong,” Tiger Woods said last year. “Scottie puts himself into good positions…and when you do that, you will get something out of it.”

Can this “something” be a seventh win for the American? We hope to see.

2. The 2025 US Open Champ – JJ Spaun

If one thought the 2025 Majors belonged to the world’s top two, JJ Spaun was an out-of-syllabus course. He came to Oakmont, the hardest US Open venue ever, and became the lone player to finish under par. It is hard to believe that he emerged as the winner when, on the final round, he was 5-over through six holes.

But that 65-foot birdie on the 72nd hole sealed his deal. And that’s why, despite sitting six spots below Scottie Scheffler, Spaun is someone you cannot ignore.

This, of course, wasn’t his only feat. He stacked up three runner-up finishes at The PLAYERS Championship and the FedEx St. Jude Championship. Overall, he had seven top-10s this season. Spaun was active until last month, competing at the World Wide Technology Championship, where he registered a T11.

In the Hero World Challenge, this is Spaun’s debut. The soft, birdie-friendly Albany course may suit him, yet competing against Scheffler will be a challenge.

3. The resilient Ryder Cupper – Robert MacIntyre

Robert MacIntyre is the only European on this list. The Scot was the runner-up at the US Open. He finished just two shots behind JJ Spaun. Considering the brutality of Oakmont, MacIntyre becomes a dangerous player on Albany’s course.

Given that he shifted between two Tours, his results were still impressive. On the PGA Tour side, he secured a solo second at the BMW Championship and a T7 at The Open. In total, he had six top-10 finishes. On his home tour, he was amazing, securing a win at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, right after his Ryder Cup victory. Like Spaun, he too was active until last month, securing a T8 at the DP World Tour Championship. That gives him momentum.

Albany is not foreign territory for MacIntyre. Last year, he had a T7 finish at 11-under. He’s not an explosive scorer like Scheffler, but he is a resilient golfer, which was evident at Bethpage Black.

4. The sneaky link – Harris English

Harris English has had one of the sneakiest good seasons of 2025. The 36-year-old ended his four-year win drought by dominating the Farmers Insurance Open and ended up as runner-up at two Majors – The Open and the PGA Championship. English also contested till last month, delivering a T47 at the RSM Classic with 12-under par. Currently, he is the world’s 10th-best player.

At Albany, he will be making his second appearance. For Harris, his strength is consistency. But what he lacks is the gear for 63-type rounds that Albany demands. With players like Scheffler, Spaun, and MacIntyre on the field, his win will be clouded.

5. Captain America – Keegan Bradley

Keegan Bradley is the only player outside of the top-10 ranks on this list. Yet, he brings significant mileage to the event, making his eighth appearance in the Hero World Challenge. His good results at this event are a decade old, with a runner-up in 2012 and a T3 in 2014.

2025 was a roller coaster for Bradley. He won the Travelers Championship and had a fifth-place finish at the Arnold Palmer. A week ago, he added another victory to his name, winning the Skins Game. Still, if he’ll be remembered this year, it will be for his Ryder Cup captaincy.

He faced some of the worst scrutiny ever, as Team USA lost brutally on its home ground. That’s why Bradley here has a redemption arc to fulfill.

The 2025 season was quite unexpected in certain ways. There were new major champs, several near-miss heartbreaks, a historical Ryder Cup, and record-breaking stats from several players. The anticipation for the Hero World Challenge, hence, remains high.