Viktory! 🏆

08/28/2023 Viktory! 🏆

By: Jeff Yoder

Viktor Hovland (-27) Runs Away With Tour Championship, Wins 1st FedEx Cup Playoffs Title at 25 Years Old

There’s a new champion of the golf world! The Tour Championship at East Lake played host to the finale of the PGA Tour season over the weekend, and a first-time champ has risen to the top of the sport. Viktor Hovland — who started Thursday No. 2 in starting strokes (-8) following last week’s victory —ran away from the field on Saturday and Sunday en route to his first FedEx Cup title at just 25 years. The Norwegian golfer played perfect through three rounds to enter Round 4 with a six-stroke advantage. And even though Xander Schauffele (-22) gave him a valiant push with a final-round 62 (-8), Hovland’s Sunday 63 (-7) kept everyone at arm’s length. Schauffele pulled within three strokes on the back-nine, but Hovland birdied the final three holes to walk off East Lake as the king of golf, and by a wide margin.

 

The PGA Payout: The FedEx Cup bonus pool was increased to $75 million total in 2023, meaning Hovland’s take-home from Sunday is a ridiculous $18 million. Finishers 2nd-7th will still walk away with anywhere from $2 million to $6.5 million.

 

Fun Fact: Hovland and Schauffele both tied with 19-under on the scorecards this weekend, but it was Hovland’s advantage in starting strokes — coming off his win at the BMW Championship — that gave him the edge. Any chance the PGA will change the playoff format? Or do you think the best golfer won?

 

Final Leaderboard (Tour Championship)

V. Hovland (-27)

X. Schauffele (-22)

W. Clark (-16)

R. McIlroy (-14)

P. Cantlay (-13)

C. Morikawa (-11)

T. Fleetwood (-11)

S. Scheffler (-11)

 

Other Notable Scorecards: S. Burns (-10), K. Bradley (-10), M. Fitzpatrick (-10), M. Homa (-10), R. Fowler (-8), L. Glover (-7), J. Rahm (-7), T. Finau (-6) | Full Leaderboard

 

Watch: Hovland Dominates East Lake for 1st FedExCup Title

 

Next Up: Ryder Cup (Sept. 29-Oct. 1)

 

Read More

PGA: Timeline: Tracking Viktor Hovland’s Rapid Rise to FedExCup Champ

AP News: Viktor Hovland Wins FedEx Cup With the Best 2 Weeks of His Career

SBNation: Hovland & Schauffele Make Tour Championship History With Blistering Play

 

Photo: Icon Sportswire / Getty Images