Viktor Hovland ripped through the back nine of Olympia Fields (Ill.) Country Club to post a final-round, 9-under-par 61 and win the BMW Championship on Sunday.
The Norwegian holed seven birdies on the back nine to come home in 7-under 28. His career-low round on the PGA Tour also broke the course record of 62 that Max Homa and Sam Burns shot earlier in the week.
Hovland started the day three strokes behind co-leaders Scottie Scheffler and Englishman Matt Fitzpatrick, then catapulted past them to finish 17-under 263 for the week.
Hovland, 25, nearly hit the flagstick with his approach shot at the par-4 18th hole and sank a 6 1/2-foot birdie putt to head to the clubhouse at 17 under. Scheffler then three-putted for bogey at the par-4 17th to make it a two-shot margin with time running out.
Though the final round began as a duel between Scheffler and Fitzpatrick, the duo shot matching rounds of 66 to tie for second at 15 under.
The good news for Scheffler is that he will begin next week’s Tour Championship with a two-shot advantage after finishing the week No. 1 in FedEx Cup points standings. Hovland is projected to jump from No. 7 to No. 2. Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy — who also shot 66 on Sunday and finished fourth at 12 under — will start No. 3 at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta.
–Field Level Media