NASSAU (Bahamas) – Although the ending was tense, the end result was the same. Viktor Hovland had a five shot lead going into Sunday’s back nine. He managed to survive a rough finish and shot a final round 69 to beat Scottie Scheffler (68), at the Hero World Challenge in Albany. Hovland stated that the experience was more stressful than it needed to be. Both players bogeyed 18th hole. Hovland rolled in a 20-foot shot after hitting his second putt in the hazard, which was made from an awkward lie on the bunker’s lip. He said, “When you have a two-shot lead it’s almost impossible to do anything.” Scheffler didn’t make the cut. Scheffler was in dire need of a birdie. He lost his approach to the waste bunker just before the green, and also made bogey. After losing the No. Rory McIlroy in South Carolina, October lost the world No. 1 ranking. He would have won it back with a win at Hero, which gives him world ranking points, but not FedExCup. It was the same result as last year, with Scheffler and Hovland going 1-2. Cameron Young (68), finished third, four behind. This victory completes a year that Hovland didn’t win, but he still made it to TOUR Championship. He qualified for Sentry Tournament of Champions at Kapalua (Mauri) next month. Shay Knight, his caddie said that it was a challenging year in terms ball striking. “It wasn’t terrible, but it was difficult in terms of ball striking,” said Shay Knight, his caddie. After a round of only 23 putts for a 10-birdie 64, Hovland needed just 24 in the final round. He said, “I hit many terrible shots today.” Scheffler was tied for first at sixth hole par-5, when Scheffler hit in for eagle. But Hovland made birdie to take the lead. The match would be between the 20-man Hero and Hovland. Scheffler, the reigning champion in WGC-Dell Technologies’ Match Play, is a well-known opponent. Scheffler defeated the then-world No. Jon Rahm, at the Ryder Cup in Whistling Straits last season. Scheffler held the No. Scheffler, who held the No. 1 ranking for 30 week this year, wasn’t at his best Sunday. He hit his drive into a bush, three-putted to double-bogey par-5 ninth hole, and fell five back. He kept the bigger picture in his mind. He had not won the PGA TOUR a year ago. But he now has four wins, including the green jacket for the Masters Tournament. He said, “Yeah it was definitely fun year.” “I achieved a lot, it wasn’t hard for my family or my coach, and it was certainly a lot fun for everybody, everybody that has been a part my golf career.” Hovland also boasts a strong match play record. Hovland went a combined 6-1 for the Oklahoma State Cowboys at the 2017, ’18, and ’19 NCAA Championships and required only 104 holes to win 2018 U.S. He was an amateur at Pebble Beach, which is the third-lowest number of winners since 1979. After winning the World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba last year, he has successfully defended his Hero title. That was once the specialty of Tiger Woods, Hero tournament host. He withdrew early with plantar fasciitis and watched Hovland, Scheffler, and Charlie play in. Hovland, who is 25 years younger than Tiger, is closer to Charlie on the odometer. It’s impossible to predict what the future holds for Hovland, but it seems brighter than ever after the Hero. As he opens ’23 at the Sentry, he’ll be able to look back on not only his solid, but unspectacular, fall or 15th-place FedExCup result last season, after finishing fifth in 21. He said, “There were too many weeks when I had to just grind and get through it instead of attacking and feeling like I was going for 7, 8 under.” It was just too many times. If I play well, maybe it will be a few under. Hovland said, “That’s been frustrating.” “I still feel like there is much to be done, but this is clearly a major step in the right direction.”
By: Cameron Morfit
Title: Viktor Hovland ends so-so year with Hero World Challenge win
Sourced From: www.pgatour.com/news/2022/12/04/viktor-hovland-ends-so-so-year-with-hero-world-challenge-win.html
Published Date: Sun, 04 Dec 2022 13:45:00 -0500
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