Viktor Hovland hails best career round to win BMW Championship and fifth PGA Tour title - ‘It has to be my number one’
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Published 21/08/2023 at 09:17 GMT
It was an unforgettable day for Viktor Hovland after playing the best round of his career to win the BMW Championship. He trailed Scottie Scheffler and Matt Fitzpatrick by three shots heading into the final day, but seven birdies in his final nine holes was enough to claim the title and a fifth PGA Tour victory. Rory McIlroy was among those to heap praise on the Norwegian after a stellar display.
'Pretty cool' says Hovland after brilliant final-round win at BMW PGA Championship
Viktor Hovland enjoyed what he described as the best round of his career after he birdied seven of his final nine holes to win the BMW Championship.
He won the tournament by two strokes at Olympia Fields and completed a wonderful day three after starting three shots behind Scottie Scheffler and Matt Fitzpatrick.
An incredible final round saw the Norwegian birdie seven of his last nine holes, as he set a new course record with a nine-under 61.
Hovland, who secured a fifth PGA Tour title and moved up to second in the FedExCup standings, admits nothing surpasses that round so far in his career.
In an interview with Sky Sports, he said: "It has to be number one. I remember playing a pretty special round of golf my first year on [the PGA] Tour, I shot seven under at Torrey Pines when it was hailing and windy and raining and that's probably the best I've ever struck it throughout a round.
"But to shoot 61 and shoot 28 on the back nine at this golf course and under the circumstances, I have nothing that beats that."
"I was thinking if I post a score like I did yesterday (65) I could at least have a chance, but it's hard when you have so many guys in front of you that are really good. Catching heat on the back nine was what I had to do."
The performance impressed Rory McIlroy, who finished the week five strokes further back in fourth after scoring a four-under 66 on Sunday.
He added: "I felt like I played very average out there next to Viktor [Hovland]. He played amazing. I was marking his card in there and I'm like, 'oh, you only made one four on the back nine, the rest threes', so it adds up to a nice little 28 for him. It was great to see. He played great. I sort of realized around like 14, 15 something pretty special was happening.
"He [Hovland] has had some great wins already this year. Had a great chance at the PGA Championship. Didn't quite get it done, but yeah, he's a world-class player and looking forward to him being on my team for the Ryder Cup in a few weeks' time."
The tournament was the penultimate round of the FedEx play-offs, which comprise of the top 50 players from the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup ranking.
The Tour Championship finale in Atlanta will include the top 30 players from the play-offs, which will be led by Scheffler, who sits top of the rankings.
Hovland is set to jump five places up from seventh into second with this victory, while McIlroy will be third.
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