Daniel Berger holds a share of the first-round lead in his first individual start since the 2021 Tour Championship.
Neither Abraham Ancer nor Rory McIlroy (T1) had made a tournament start at Albany prior to this week.
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No first-round leader/co-leader has won the Hero World Challenge since it moved to Albany in 2015.
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Berger (T1/-6) has one prior Hero World Challenge start: T14/2017.
He won his fourth career PGA Tour title at the 2021 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and finished the 2020-21 season No. 11 in the FedExCup standings.
In official Tour events is 0-for-1 converting the 18-hole lead/co-lead to victory (T51/2014 World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba).
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Ancer (T1/-6) is one of eight players in the field making tournament debut (others: Sam Burns, Harris English, Matt Fitzpatrick, Tyrrell Hatton, Viktor Hovland, Collin Morikawa, Scottie Scheffler).
Has two top-15s in three Tour starts during the fall portion of the 2021-22 season (T7/World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba, T14/THE CJ CUP @ SUMMIT).
Earned first career Tour victory at the 2021 World Golf Championships-FedEx St. Jude Invitational.
In official Tour events, is 0-for-2 converting the 18-hole lead/co-lead to victory (T57/2018 Memorial Tournament, T8/2019 Travelers Championship).
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McIlroy (T1/-6) has two prior Hero World Challenge starts (both at Sherwood Country Club): 4th/2010, T11/2013.
He won THE CJ CUP in his only PGA Tour start during the fall portion of the 2021-22 season, becoming the 39th player in Tour history to reach 20 career victories.
In official Tour events, he is 3-for-17 converting the 18-hole lead/co-lead to victory; wins: 2011 U.S. Open, 2012 BMW Championship, 2014 Open Championship (no wins in last seven attempts).
PGA Tour
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