Hero World Challenge host Tiger Woods with Viktor Hovland, who repeated his 2021 feat in Bahamas
25-year-old Viktor Hovland of Norway shot 69-70-64-69 (16-under 272) to defend his title at Tiger Woods’ US$ 3.5mn Hero World Challenge in Bahamas, by a two-shot margin over Scottie Scheffler, the former World No.1 and the 2022 Masters Champion.
It was the young Norwegian’s fourth win on the PGA Tour sanctioned win which earns world ranking points but doesn’t count towards Fedex Cup points since it features only 20 invited players. Tiger Woods is the only other player to win consecutive titles at the annual limited field event.
Viktor Hovland joins @TigerWoods as the only back-to-back Hero World Challenge winners. pic.twitter.com/z95pjqdaSm
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) December 4, 2022
Until the very last putt.
A win never comes easy pic.twitter.com/vU6DPcEAxA
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) December 4, 2022
Hovland had to endure a nervy 72nd hole to claim his victory. He hit his second shot in to the hazard from an awkward lie on the lip of a fairway bunker and had to make a 20ft putt for bogey. “When you’re standing there with a two-shot lead, that’s like the last thing you can do,” he said. However, Scheffler couldn’t capitalise on Hovland’s misfortune knocking his approach into the waste bunker right of the green and also made a bogey.
After losing the world No. 1 ranking to Rory McIlroy in October, Scheffler would have regained it with a win at the Hero adding to the drama around the finish.
Credits:-
Photo – PGA Tour