Viktor Hovland wins Hero World Challenge to match Tiger Woods record

Viktor Hovland led by four shots on the turn. No one came closer to him than two shots over the back nine at the Hero World Challenge.

It sounds easy. far from there

Hovland pulled a 6-iron from an awkward position into the water on the 18th hole and had to bogey putt 20 feet for a 3-under-par 69 to clinch victory on Sunday, allowing him to join tournament host, Tiger Woods, as the only running back. two consecutive winners of this festive event. Woods defended his title in 2006-07.

“I guess I made it a little more exciting,” Hovland said.

Viktor Hovland has joined Tiger Woods as the only person to defend the Hero World Challenge

Woods didn’t play this year, but he was on hand to see Hovland celebrate their latest win.

Woods won back-to-back Hero World Challenges in 2006 and 2007, but he’s not the only man to have done it.

A year ago, the 25-year-old Norwegian rallied from six strokes behind on the final day with 66 to win. That was fun. Far more stressful was leading all the way in Albany, even when it seemed to everyone that he was a Bahamian breeze.

Masters champion Scottie Scheffler, whose three-putter double bogey on the ninth hole left him five shots behind, stayed in the game with four birdies on the back nine that gave him a fleeting chance, two shots back playing 18th.

Hovland faced a 6-iron from the slope over a bunker, with water to the left of the green. The clubface closed on impact and the ball headed left into the hazard.

“Basically, do anything other than throw it in the water,” Hovland said. ‘So as soon as that happened, I got pretty frustrated. But I knew I didn’t have a pair of gimme, so if I can fit in there close, I can still putt and win the tournament. And if not, he still has to make a pair to force me into a tiebreaker.

“But it was a lot more stressful than it should have been.”

Scheffler approached the sandy area and his chip went over the cup too fast, about 10 feet down the hole. If Hovland missed his bogey putt, Scheffler would have that putt for a tiebreaker.

Hovland ended the suspense. Scheffler missed what became a meaningless putt and shot 68 to finish two shots behind, second to Hovland for the second year in a row.

“I said earlier in the week that I don’t like finishing second,” Scheffler said. ‘It’s not a good feeling right now. But I’m proud of the fight.’

Woods won in 2006 and 2007 when it was held at the Sherwood Country Club. He had to retire this week with plantar fasciitis in his right foot, instead of looking on in his Sunday redshirt for some drama no one expected.

“It’s fucking stressful,” Hovland said with a smile. You are never that comfortable. I didn’t play that well on the back nine, but it was good enough.’

Hovland finished at 16-under 272 and earned $1 million. The win isn’t official, but world ranking points pushed him three places to No. 9.

Scheffler needed to win to return to world No. 1, at least for a few weeks. Rory McIlroy was projected to end the year at No. 1 regardless of the result.

Starting three shots behind, Scheffler holed a shot from 30 yards short of the green on the par-5 sixth hole as Eagle hit 14-under and momentarily tied for the lead. Hovland was in trouble off the tee. He had to play a pitching wedge over a 20-foot dune, an 8-iron to the green and then hole an 18-foot birdie putt to hold a lead.

The next hole was fundamental, despite the 18th.

Scheffler’s shot from the end of the fairway on the short par-4 seventh barely made it to the green and rolled into the bunker, causing a bogey. Hovland was on the edge of a bunker and jumped to 5 feet for birdie and a two-shot swing, restoring his lead to three.

Hovland, 25, kept his nerve, alone, on the back nine to emerge victorious on Sunday.

Hovland was under pressure from Scottie Scheffler but fought the Masters champion

There were other challengers in the last two hours, but not for long.

Cameron Young made a strong bid and was within two shots at one point until bogeying the 16th. Xander Schauffele also made an early run until bogeying the par-5 15th.

Scheffler made three straight birdies on the 16th hole to get within two shots, and Hovland gave him a chance on the 18th until he closed it out with the big putt.

Scheffler still heads into the holidays with a big year behind him: the Masters among his four PGA Tour victories, the longest No. 1 in the world this year, PGA Tour player of the year.

Young had a 68 and finished alone in third, followed by Schauffele (68) and Justin Thomas, who had five birdies over a six-hole stretch over the back nine to salvage a poor start and close on 70 to finish fifth.

“It’s only 20 players, but it’s the best 20 players in the world,” Hovland said. ‘You have to play your best to win.’