Viktor Hovland wins play-off at golf’s Memorial tournament
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Viktor Hovland (left) holding the tournament trophy with golf legend Jack Nicklaus after the final round of the Memorial Tournament.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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OHIO – Viktor Hovland made a massive birdie putt at the 17th hole and saved par on his first play-off hole to defeat Denny McCarthy and win the Memorial Tournament on Sunday in Dublin, Ohio.
The Norwegian, 25, earned his fourth and biggest PGA Tour win – and a handshake with host and golf great Jack Nicklaus at Muirfield Village Golf Club.
“It’s a little bit surreal right now,” Hovland said on the CBS broadcast. “Playing Jack’s course and playing his tournament and winning it, and for him to be able to see it, he just shook my hand and gave me a couple words of encouragement.
“That’s pretty awesome.”
On a day when some of the world’s elite golfers struggled to score and the lead crept down a few strokes, McCarthy was on the path to his first PGA Tour title thanks to a red-hot putter.
But he bogeyed the final hole and tied Hovland at seven-under 281, one stroke ahead of Scottie Scheffler.
Hovland and McCarthy both shot two-under 70 in wildly different ways. Hovland made five birdies and three bogeys, with the all-important birdie at No. 17 falling from 27 feet away – the only birdie at that hole all day.
“It’s fun to win one of these things without just ball-striking it to death. Now I can kinda rely on some other strengths as well,” Hovland said.
McCarthy made three early birdies before a long string of pars helped him outlast the likes of Rory McIlroy. McCarthy, who led the field in strokes gained putting during the week, was at eight under and had a two-stroke lead for parts of the afternoon.
After 10 straight pars from hole eight to 17, the American’s drive at the par-four 18th found the left thick rough and he could only punch out into the fairway.
His third shot landed 23 feet away from the cup, and his long par try whizzed past it, leading to a five-foot bogey and the play-off.
Replaying the 18th for the play-off, McCarthy’s drive this time sailed far right. He missed a 14-foot putt for par, while Hovland lagged a long putt from 58 feet away before saving par from about seven feet.
Hovland has been a threat on Sunday at some of the biggest golf tournaments this season, tying for third at The Players Championship, tying for seventh at the Masters and tying for second at May’s PGA Championship.
“I just played smart, played my game and came up clutch this time. It feels even better after a few close calls the last few months,” he said.
An emotional McCarthy said: “I battled really hard. Heartbroken right now, but a lot of positives to take from this week. Just played really well. I would say my putter kept me in it when I was a little shaky.”
Scheffler made the cut on the number before following up a 68 on Saturday with a 67 on Sunday. It was enough for the world No. 1’s 12th top-10 of the season and his fourth top-five in a row.
The 54-hole co-leaders – McIlroy of Northern Ireland, Kim Si-woo of South Korea and American David Lipsky – all had forgettable afternoons.
Kim shot a 73 to finish fourth at five under, McIlroy posted a 75 and tied Adam Schenk (71) for seventh at three under and Lipsky shot a 77 to fall into a tie for 12th at one under.
Jordan Spieth shot a 71 and Andrew Putnam fired a 70 to tie for fifth at four under. Adam Scott of Australia (71), American Rickie Fowler (72) and Matt Fitzpatrick of England (72) tied for ninth at two under. REUTERS
