2023-08-21 00:48:34
OLYMPIA FIELDS, Ill. (AP) — Viktor Hovland had the best round of his career at the best of times, birdying all but two holes of the back nine to post a 61-9-under card for Y thus surpassing the course record at Olympia Fields. Hovland left Scottie Scheffler and Matt Fitzpatrick behind to win the BMW Championship.
What appeared to be a fight between Scheffler and Fitzpatrick ended up being a one man show with Hovland. He came into the back nine four shots behind and Scheffler and Fitzpatrick ended up struggling to catch up.
Both had a round of 66, a score that on any other day would have been enough to win. Hovland won for the second time this year and has never looked so good doing it.
Hovland had just one putt over 15 feet on the back nine and closed with birdies on the 17th and 18th, the toughest on the course.
“It has to be the best round I’ve ever had,” Hovland acknowledged. “Given the circumstances — a playoff, the course — the way I played the last few holes was special.”
The drama was elsewhere.
Jordan Spieth bogeyed his last two holes for a round of 71 and came close to falling out of the top 30 in the FedEx Cup, but Denny McCarthy bogeyed the last seven holes to fall behind.
Xander Schauffele did just enough to have a round of 68 and tie for the eighth group, with enough money to earn the sixth and final automatic ticket to the Ryder Cup.
Captain Zach Johnson will pick his six players in nine days.
1692579330
#field #record #Hovland #wins #BMW #Championship
