| -17 V Hovland (Nor); -15 M Fitzpatrick (Eng), S Scheffler (US); -12 R McIlroy (NI); -11 B Harman (US), M Homa (US) |
| Selected others: -4 J Rose (Eng), -3 T Fleetwood (Eng); Stuttering J Rahm (Spa); +1 T Hatton (Eng) |
| Full leaderboard |
Viktor Hovland birdied seven of his final nine holes to roar past overnight leaders Matt Fitzpatrick and Scottie Scheffler and win the BMW Championship by two strokes at Olympia Fields.
The Norwegian, 25, started the day three shots behind world number one Scheffler and England’s Fitzpatrick.
But he carded a career-low nine-under 61 to set a new course record and claim the $3.6m (£2.8m) winner’s cheque.
Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland shot a 66 to finish fourth at 12 under.
Hovland, joint runner-up at the US PGA Championship in May, finished at 17 under after a final round that broke the course record of 62 Max Homa and Sam Burns set earlier in the week.
“It has to be my number one [round of his career],” he told Sky Sports.
“I remember playing a special round of golf in my first year on the tour – I shot seven under at Torrey Pines when it was raining and pouring and that was probably the best I ever hit that phase.
“But to shoot 61 and shoot 28 on the back nine on this golf course and under those conditions, I don’t have anything to beat that.”
The BMW Championship is the penultimate round of the season-ending FedEx play-offs.
The field comprises the top 50 in the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup ranking, with the top 30 qualifying for next week’s Tour Championship finale in Atlanta.
American Scheffler will start the Tour Championship with a two-shot advantage after a week atop the FedEx Cup standings.
Hovland is poised to jump from seventh to second, with his Ryder Cup teammate McIlroy third.
Hovland’s stunning run saw him birdie three straight holes from the 10th, pick up more shots at the 14th and 15th and move into a share of the lead with his ninth birdie on the day of the 17th.
He birdied the final hole to take the lead on the leaderboard, with Scheffler three-putting the 17th moments later to all but secure the Hovland victory.
Fitzpatrick, whose younger brother Alex finished second in the DP World Tour Earlier in the day, playing partner matched Scheffler’s 66 to also finish at 15 under.
Hovland added: “I was wondering if I would post a score like I did yesterday [65] I should have had a chance, but it’s difficult when you have a lot of guys in front of you who are really good and playing well.
“Getting the heat on the back nine is what I need to do.”
