Viktor Hovland fires stunning course-record 61 to win BMW Championship
Viktor Hovland denies Scottie Scheffler at the BMW Championship after coming home in 28 strokes at Olympia Fields.
Viktor Hovland fired a stunning course-record 9-under 61 at Olympia Fields to win the BMW Championship by two strokes over World No.1 Scottie Scheffler and England's Matt Fitzpatrick.
Hovland, 25, drained seven birdies on the back nine to come home in 28 strokes and deny Scheffler his third title of the season.
The Norwegian star, who has automatically qualified for the European Ryder Cup team next month, finished on 17-under par for the week.
It marks a fifth PGA Tour title of Hovland's career and his second of the season.
A record-setting Sunday for Viktor Hovland
He currently leads by one @BMWChamps. pic.twitter.com/eBWQuegRQp— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) August 20, 2023
Scheffler held the overnight lead with Fitzpatrick on 11-under par.
The duo pulled clear of the chasing pack on the front nine before Scheffler moved ahead by two strokes when making three birdies in the space of four holes from the 10th.
But then Hovland sprinted out the pack to join in the race, before finishing birdie-birdie to nose ahead for the first time all week.
Hovland came home in an incredible 28 strokes in what will forever be remembered as one of the most impressive final-round back-nine performances of all time on the PGA Tour.
With Hovland having posted the clubhouse target, Scheffler then went on to three-putt from 30 feet on the 17th to fall two strokes behind.
Made it. pic.twitter.com/wPnFPRWyvJ
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) August 20, 2023
Despite another near-miss on the PGA Tour, Scheffler moves from second to first in the FedEx Cup race.
Hovland is now up to second from seventh.
Rory McIlroy remains in third position in the FedEx Cup, with Jon Rahm demoted to fourth following his lacklustre tie for 31st.
McIlroy finished with a 66 to end up solo fourth at the BMW Championship.
Scheffler will now start on 10-under par at the Tour Championship, with Hovland on 8-under par, McIlroy on 7-under par and Rahm on 6-under par.
BMW Championship Final Leaderboard:
-17 V Hovland
-15 S Scheffler, M Fitzpatrick
-12 R McIlroy
-11 M Homa, B Harman
How the scoring works at Tour Championship:
10 under: No. 1 in FEC points
8 under: No. 2
7 under: No. 3
6 under: No. 4
5 under: No. 5
4 under: Nos. 6-10
3 under: Nos. 11-15
2 under: Nos. 16-20
1 under: Nos. 21-25
Even par: Nos. 26-30
FedEx Cup Prize Money:
1. $18,000,000
2. $6,500,000
3. $5,000,000
4. $4,000,000
5. $3,000,000
6. $2,500,000
7. $2,000,000
8. $1,500,000
9. $1,250,000
10. $1,000,000
11. $950,000
12. $900,000
13. $850,000
14. $800,000
15. $760,000
16. $720,000
17. $700,000
18. $680,000
19. $660,000
20. $640,000
21. $620,000
22. $600,000
23. $580,000
24. $565,000
25. $550,000
26. $540,000
27. $530,000
28. $520,000
29. $510,000
30. $500,000
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