To the Viktor Goes the BMW Championship: Hovland’s Course-Record 61 Moves Him Into Second Place of FedEx Cup Standings

Ten birdies, one bogey, and a back-nine 28 to win the BMW Championship. Not bad, Viktor Hovland. 

At the second stop of the FedEx Cup Playoffs, the Norwegian fired a final-round, course-record 61 at Olympia Fields Country Club outside Chicago to win for the fifth time on the PGA Tour. Ranked No. 5 in the Official World Golf Ranking, the 25-year-old Hovland finished at 17-under-par 263, two shots ahead of No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and No. 10 Matthew Fitzpatrick. 

For much of the front nine, it appeared to be a duel between Scheffler and Fitzpatrick, who had shared the 54-hole lead. The two went out in 32 and 33, respectively, and were multiple shots clear of the chasing pack, which included Hovland, Rory McIlroy, Max Homa and Brian Harman.

But then Hovland carded three straight birdies on holes 10-12, stuffed his approach to 19 inches at the par-four 14th, and scrambled for birdie on the par-five 15th. 

Trailing Scheffler by a shot with two holes to go, Hovland pulled into a tie with a birdie at 17. On the par-four 18th, he split the fairway and then hit one of the best approach shots of the year from 154 yards. His birdie putt from just over six feet rolled in, the final touch on a course-record 61.

But hold the celebration: Scheffler and Fitzpatrick were still finishing their rounds and well within striking distance.

“Definitely has to be the best round I’ve ever played,” Hovland told CBS Sports’ Amanda Renner. “Given the circumstances, playoff event at this golf course and [finishing] the way that I did the last nine holes was pretty special.”

On the 17th hole, Scheffler hit his 145-yard approach to just inside 22 feet, only to three-putt and fall two shots back. Fitzpatrick left himself a longer birdie putt, but could not convert. Both made par on the 18th, leaving them in a tie for second at 15-under-par. 

Scheffler has won twice this season — the WM Phoenix Open in February and Players Championship in March — but putting woes have prevented him from adding to his trophy case. Since the Players Championship, Scheffler has had nine top-five finishes, including a tie for second at the PGA Championship in May and a tie for third at the U.S. Open in June. The culprit: He ranks 146th on tour in putting strokes gained.

Not even a new putter, which he put in his bag prior to last week’s FedEx. St Jude Championship, has helped. Scheffler finished 38th in the field of 50 at the BMW Championship in putting strokes gained.

Hovland’s second win of the season — he beat Denny McCarthy in a playoff at the Memorial Tournament in June — moves him to second place in the FedEx Cup standings behind Scheffler.

With the upcoming Tour Championship in Atlanta featuring a staggered-start format, Hovland will start the event at eight-under-par, two shots back of Scheffler, who might become unstoppable if he can get his putting to match the rest of his game. Crushing the ball off the tee and on approach with pinpoint precision, last year’s Masters champion has the most tee-to-green strokes gained (2.69) in a season since Tiger Woods’s 2.98 in 2006.

McIlroy, via a Sunday four-under-par 66, finished solo fourth at 12-under-par and will head into the Tour Championship in third at seven-under-par. Homa, the 36-hole leader, didn’t quite have his best stuff after his Friday 62, finishing in a tie for fifth with Open Championship winner Brian Harman at 11-under-par. 

With the only the top 30 in the FedEx Cup standings moving on to the Tour Championship, and with 50 players in the BMW Championship field, it was assured that 20 would be eliminated from the postseason on Sunday.

Notables to squeak past the cut include former world No. 1 Jason Day (25th) and three-time major champion Jordan Spieth (29th).

Former U.S. Open champion Justin Rose (34th) and potential U.S. Ryder Cup captain’s pick Cameron Young (42nd) saw their seasons end.

The season finale Tour Championship, at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, tees off on Thursday, with 30 players vying for the $18 million first-place prize. For the full staggered-start leaderboard, click here.