Viktor Hovland wins by five shots at TOUR Championship to claim 2023 FedExCup title at East lake -
-- Viktor Hovland played the best golf of his life in the final two weeks of the PGA TOUR season, and it paid off Sunday with the biggest trophy of his career -- a FedExCup title along with the $18 million bonus.
Staked to a six-shot lead, Hovland didn't flinch under a relentless challenge from Xander Schauffele. The 25-year-old Norwegian stayed on the attack and closed with a 7-under 63 for a five-shot victory at East Lake.
Hovland capped off his best season with three victories. Even more staggering is that he played his final tournaments -- the BMW Championship at Olympia Fields and the TOUR Championship at East Lake -- in 36-under par.
Schauffele made him work for that $18 million and got to within three shots with seven holes to play. Hovland ended the suspense with a 25-foot par putt on the 14th hole, and he put Schauffele away with a 10-foot birdie putt on the 16th.
Schauffele and Hovland put on a superb show. Playing in the last group, on a day that was delayed nearly two hours by thunderstorms, they had the best scores of the day.
The 63 by Hovland was the lowest Sunday score for a TOUR Championship winner.
U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark won the B-Flight, closing with a 65 to finish third, 11 shots behind. That was worth a $5 million bonus. Rory McIlroy had a 65 to finish fourth and collected $4 million, while Patrick Cantlay (66) was alone in fifth to earn $3 million.
The next time Hovland and Schauffele meet is for no prize money at all -- the Ryder Cup in Rome in a month's time.
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