Defending champ Spieth leads field in the Bahamas

World number one Jordan Spieth is aiming to become the first back-to-back winner of the Hero World Challenge since Tiger Woods, however Rickie Fowler has other ideas.

The Hero World Challenge – a benefit for the Tiger Woods Foundation though the host will not be competing due to injury – takes place in the Bahamas for the first time, starting Thursday, with defending champion Spieth looking to match Woods’ feat of consecutive titles in 2006 and 2007.

Spieth, who romped to a 10-stroke win over Henrik Stenson at the unofficial PGA Tour tournament last year, heads to the Albany Golf Course having left Australia empty-handed.

The two-time major winner lost out to local favourite Matt Jones by a stroke at the Australian Open.

Spieth knows he will have to lift his game if he is to reign supreme in the strong 18-man field.

Adam Scott, who finished second alongside Spieth in Sydney last week, Bubba Watson, Dustin Johnson, Justin Rose, Chris Kirk, Billy Horschel, Bill Haas, Zach Johnson, Matt Kuchar, Patrick Reed, Jimmy Walker, Hideki Matsuyama, Brooks Koepka, Anirban Lahiri, Paul Casey and J.B. Holmes have all descended on the Bahamas after the event was moved away from Windermere, Florida.

World number six Fowler is also in the field as he looks to bridge the gap to Spieth, Jason Day and Rory McIlroy.

Fowler – a runner up at the U.S. Open and The Open while he claimed top-five finishes at the PGA Championship and Masters – was asked if he can be considered in the same breath as the star trio and he said: “I’m sneaking in there. I think getting a major under my belt would solidify that.

“It was definitely a success getting the three wins [The Players Championship, Deutsche Bank Championship and Scottish Open].

“I feel like a made a good statement but I have work to do.”