Viktor Hovland put on such a phenomenal ball-striking display on Sunday that he left with a trophy.
The 25-year-old from Norway raced up the leaderboard on the back nine and stole the 2023 BMW Championship at 17 under after a dazzling 9-under 61 in the final round at Olympia Fields Golf Club in Illinois. Hovland made seven birdies over his final nine holes to shoot his career-low round and set a course record. Scottie Scheffler (66) and Fitzpatrick (66) finished T-2 at 15 under.
Scheffler was dripping sweat and confidence on the front nine after early birdies at Nos. 2 and 3 and another at the par-3 6th. He stayed hot on the back nine with an opening birdie at the tenth but cooled off with his first bogey of the day on No. 11, which left him tied with Fitzpatrick at 14 under.
Fitzpatrick stayed in Scheffler’s shadow with consecutive birdies on Nos. 3 and 4, as well as No. 6, before his first blemish of the round popped up on the par-4 ninth. The Englishman got the shot back immediately with birdie on No. 10, but before long the two-man race picked up a third as Hovland birdied four of his first five holes on the back nine to join the fray at 14 under.
Scheffler responded with consecutive birdies of his own at Nos. 12 and 13 to take a two-shot lead at 16 under but Hovland was quick to respond with yet another birdie at No. 15 and two more to close his round on Nos. 17 and 18 to take the clubhouse lead at 17 under.
A bogey on the par-4 17th for Scheffler sealed the deal for Hovland to pick up his fifth PGA Tour win and second of the season following his victory at the 2023 Memorial Tournament.
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