Nassau (Bahamas), Dec 6 (Golf news) Debutant Viktor Hovland overcame a six-shot deficit in a dramatic final round to win the star-studded Hero World Challenge golf tournament here.
The 24-year-old Hovland shot back-to-back eagles to afford back-to-back bogeys and win the HWC for his third international win of the year.
Hovland (66) finished at 18-under 270 and won by one shot over Scottie Scheffler (66).
"Honestly, when I first teed off and obviously got off to just making a few pars early on, I didn't really think winning was even in question," Hovland said.
"But after I made three birdies in a row at the end of the front nine and I got to No. 9 and I was in the greenside bunker and I looked up at the leaderboard and I saw I believe I was tied for the lead, maybe one shot behind or something like that, that's when I knew that, okay, if I play really well on the back nine, I've got a chance," he added.
Overnight leader Collin Morikawa, who was primed to win the tournament after gathering a five-shot lead in 54 holes, slipped to tied-fifth after two double bogeys on the final day and shot 76.
On a chaotic final day, as many as five players had at least a share of the lead at some stage. Among them was Hovland, who picked five shots between 14th and 16th to be able to afford bogeys on the last two.
For Hovland, this was the third win in 2021 following victories in Mexico a month ago and in Germany on the European Tour in summer.
He received the winner's trophy from tournament host Tiger Woods and also recalled that in 2019, when the legendary golfer had won his 15th Major at the Masters, the Norwegian youngster was an amateur and sat next to him at the presentation.
"Now to stand next to him and get this Trophy is surreal," said Hovland.
Hovland started slow with five pars and then had three birdies from sixth to eighth. On the back nine, a birdie on the 11th was exchanged with a bogey on the 12th.
Then came the killer blow or rather blows – a bunker shot into the hole for an eagle two on Par-4 14th and another eagle came on the Par-5 15th.
Hovland hit his second shot with the wind and got it to 20 feet from where he holed it for a second eagle in as many holes.
That pushed him up to 19-under and it became 20-under with a birdie on 16th from four feet. But the bogeys on 17th and 18th saw him finish at 18-under.
With Scheffler having finished at 17-under and the lead group of Morikawa and Brooks Koepka out of the equation, Hovland had the luxury of playing bogeys on 17 and 18 to secure the win.
Morikawa missed three birdie chances from 10 feet and visited the bushes on No. 4 and 6 for two double bogeys. The 41 on the front nine was his worst of the week.
On the back nine, he birdied the 11th and 15th but dropped a final shot on the 18th for a 76 and was Tied-fifth alongside Justin Thomas (64). A win would have made Morikawa No. 1 in the world.
Former winners Henrik Stenson and Jordan Spieth were docked two shots each after the duo hit their ninth tee shot from what had been converted into the 17th tee for the final round despite being warned of the change.
Also Read : Hero World Challenge: Morikawa takes five shot lead, inches closer to No 1 spot
News Source : PTI
