Hovland fires record 61 to capture BMW Championship title

Norway’s Viktor Hovland birdied seven of the last nine holes to fire a course-record 61 on Sunday and win the PGA Tour’s BMW Championship, the penultimate FedEx Cup playoff event.
The 25-year-old from Oslo made 10 birdies against a lone bogey, shooting 28 on the back nine for a nine-under par total that left him on 17-under 263 after 72 holes at Olympia Fields in suburban Chicago.
“Definitely has to be the best round I’ve ever played,” Hovland said.
“Given the circumstances, playoff round at this golf course and finish the way I did the last nine holes was pretty special.”
World number one Scottie Scheffler of the United States and England’s Matthew Fitzpatrick, last year’s US Open winner, fired 66s to share second on 265 with world number two Rory McIlroy fourth on 268 after a 66.
Hovland sank a birdie putt from just beyond six feet at the 18th to break the old course record of 62, set Friday by American Max Homa and matched Saturday by American Sam Burns.
“Obviously I got some great shots, some nice bounces and the putts went in,” Hovland said. “But it wasn’t like I mapped the whole thing out. I was just trying to make the best decision every single shot.”
Hovland, this year’s Memorial winner and PGA Championship runner-up, was four back at the turn but made eight threes and a four on the back side to claim the $3.6mn top prize with a career-low round.
“I wouldn’t say making seven birdies on the back nine is trying to be play conservative going into the greens,” Hovland said. “It just kind of worked out that way.
“It was more of a mindset thing. I think instead of, ‘Oh my God, I’ve got a chance to win, I need to birdie this hole and this hole to have a chance,’ it was more. ‘What’s the right decision right here right now?’ and then commit to it.”
The top 30 in season points advanced to next week’s Tour Championship in Atlanta, Fitzgerald jumping from 40th to 10th to qualify and bumping out American Chris Kirk in the only change of players from last week.
Scheffler took over as season points leader and will start at 10-under next week at East Lake while Hovland, who jumped from seventh to second in points, will start on 8-under, one stroke ahead of McIlroy and two atop reigning Masters champion Jon Rahm, who had led when the week began.