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Aug. 27 (UPI) — Viktor Hovland secured a commanding lead at the Tour Championship, but had to fend off a determined Xander Schauffele on the back nine. Hovland ultimately emerged as the champion, claiming the $18 million prize. The tournament, held at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, saw Hovland finish with a score of 19-under for a cumulative total of 27-under.
On the final day, Hovland made seven birdies, including three consecutive ones, solidifying his victory.
The final round experienced a delay due to inclement weather, but was ultimately concluded on Sunday night.
Hovland’s performance during the final three holes was exceptional, as he carded a 7-under 63. At just 25 years old, Hovland now joins a prestigious group as the third-youngest FedEx Cup champion.
“It’s truly surreal to be standing here right now, delivering my best golf over the past two weeks,” Hovland expressed during the CBS broadcast. “It couldn’t have come at a better moment.”
Schauffele put up a strong fight, carding an impressive 62 on the final day to finish at 22-under. His exceptional performance secured him a $6.5 million prize for second place. Wyndham Clark finished third at 16-under, earning a prize of $5 million.
The Top 5 finishers also included defending champion Rory McIlroy and Patrick Cantlay, who claimed prizes of $4 million and $3 million, respectively. Scottie Scheffler, starting the tournament at 10-under, ended the event at 11-under, tying with Tommy Fleetwood and Collin Morikawa for sixth place.
Hovland consistently held either a share of or the outright lead throughout the tournament. He began the final day with a remarkable 20-under, six strokes ahead of Schauffele and seven strokes ahead of Morikawa and Keegan Bradley.
During the front nine, Hovland birdied his first hole and achieved pars on holes 2 and 3. He then proceeded to birdie holes 4, 5, and 6, concluding with pars for a 4-under 31 at the turn.
From holes 10 to 15, Hovland maintained his lead, securing pars on each hole. However, Schauffele, who was 5-under through nine holes, birdied holes 11 and 12, narrowing Hovland’s lead to three strokes with six holes left to play.
On hole 14, Hovland sank a remarkable 23-foot birdie putt to save par. He then achieved pars on holes 15 and 16 before his trio of birdies sealed his victory in the FedEx Cup.
The 2023-24 PGA Tour season will kick off with the Fortinet Championship, scheduled to take place from September 14 to 17 in Napa, California.
