Viktor Hovland wins Tour Championship to capture 2023 FedEx Cup title: How he secured sixth career PGA Tour title
Viktor Hovland won the Tour Championship on Sunday with a 7-under-par 63 to secure the 2023 FedEx Cup crown. Here’s what you need to know:
- Hovland, 25, entered Sunday’s final round at East Lake Golf Club with a six-shot lead.
- The Norwegian star beat out Xander Schauffele (-22) and Wyndham Clark (-16) to take home an $18 million bonus and his first career FedEx Cup trophy.
- Last week, Hovland captured the BMW Championship after shooting a 9-under-par 61 in the final round.
The Athletic’s instant analysis:
How Hovland won the Tour Championship
Hovland has always been one of the best iron players and drivers in the game, but changes he made in his course management have made strides in how he avoids bad misses that left his poor short game exposed. The same reason he’s gone top 20 in all four majors this season is how he shot a record-breaking 61 in Chicago and now runs away with the Tour Championship.
He hit fairways and he left himself 10- to 15-foot birdie putts on seemingly every hole. Almost more impressive than his 21 birdies were his two bogeys through four rounds. He called himself a more complete golfer than he’s ever been, and that rings true.
Hovland now mixes the excitement of his ball striking with a more responsible style of play. — Miller
GO DEEPER
Forget about what Viktor Hovland was. This is who he is
What it means for Hovland
It’s been known Hovland is one of the best golfers in the world since he came on tour at 21 years of age. It’s why he put himself in the mix at majors from day one. But what Hovland has done in 2023 — winning three huge events, balancing out his game and eliminating the collapses — brings him to another tier.
He still needs to win a major to truly make a claim for top golfer in the world, but it’s fair to at least put him that top tier of Scottie Scheffler, Jon Rahm and Rory McIlroy as the best on tour. Hovland is special, and 2024 could be his year. — Miller
Backstory
After his outstanding finish in the second leg of the FedEx Cup playoffs, Hovland rose to No. 2 in the FedEx Cup standings and started play this week at 8-under par. He finished Friday’s second round at East Lake tied for the lead with Morikawa after both golfers carded 6-under-par 64s. Hovland pulled away with a third-round 4-under 66 to take a six-shot lead into Sunday’s FedEx Cup finale.
Sunday’s win marks Hovland’s sixth career PGA Tour title and third of 2023, his first coming at the Memorial Tournament in June.
Last year’s FedEx Cup champion McIlroy finished fourth at 14-under for the tournament.
Required reading
(Photo: Mike Ehrmann / Getty Images)
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J
Jim B.
· Mon
He played lights out. Congrats to him on a fine tourney and good year.
S
Scott B.
· Mon
Lol I hope you are joking. He is from Texas Hovland is from freaking Norway
C
Chelsea H.
· Mon
That Altlanta heat was just way too much for Scheffler to deal with. Maybe someday they'll move the tour championship north a little. Give him a better chance at things.
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