Hovland Gets Set For Big Payday At Tour Champs, Leads By Six Shots

Hovland gets set for big payday at Tour Champs, leads by six shots (Image Source: IANS)

Si Woo Kim: Viktor Hovland delivered a commanding performance to pull away in the TOUR Championship. He shot a 4-under 66 that gave him a six-shot lead going into the final round of the PGA TOUR season.

The Norwegian star is now 18 holes away from the $18 million bonus in the FedExCup.

Hovland came into East Lake fresh off a 61 in the final round at Olympia Fields to rally for a victory in the BMW Championship.

He was tied with Collin Morikawa to start the third round, with Scottie Scheffler, Jon Rahm and Xander Schauffele all lined up behind him. Hovland pulled despite a 90-minute stoppage because of storms in the area.

The top Asian is Tom Kim (72) in 24th place, while Sungjae Im (68) and Si Woo Kim (68) are T-25 in the 30-man field.

Hovland, who started at 8-under par as the No. 2 seed under the staggered start system in the Tour Championship, is now 20 under. Hovland played bogey-free on the front nine. At one point Hovland stretched his lead to seven shots, and it looked as though that's how he would end the day until he missed a 7-foot birdie putt as darkness fell on East Lake.

Schauffele, who has never finished worse than seventh or shot worse than par in his seven years playing the TOUR Championship, had a 68 and was at 14 under. He missed a pair of 4-foot putts - for par at No. 15 and for birdie on the closing hole.

Morikawa didn't make a birdie until the 16th hole in his round of 73, leaving him seven shots behind with Keegan Bradley, who had to birdie two of the last four holes for a 70.

Scheffler only started making putts late in his round of 73 that tied him with Rahm (71), leaving both nine shots behind and out of contention for the FedExCup title.

Wyndham Clark had only one bogey in his round of 68 that left him in the group with Scheffler and Rahm.

McIlroy, who started six shots behind, had three bogeys on the front nine and didn't make a birdie over his last seven holes for a 71. He was 11 shots back.

Hovland still has one round left but no lead is safe. Last year Scheffler started the final round with a six-shot lead over Rory McIlroy, only to shoot 73 as McIlroy rallied for a 66 to beat him by one.

Hovland is now set to win the FedExCup, with its $18 million bonus and a five-year exemption on the PGA TOUR. He could also be the PGA TOUR player of the year, having also won the Memorial and an additional FedExCup Playoffs event.