Ohio [US] June 6 (ANI): Viktor Hovland produced some superb clutch putts at Muirfield Village to win the USD 20 million Memorial Tournament in a play-off with Denny McCarthy. It was his fourth official PGA Tour win, although he has two others, each at Tiger Woods’ occasion, the Hero World Challenge in 2021 and 2022. It was additionally Hovland’s first win within the mainland United States.
Korean star Si Woo Kim got here up brief in his bid for a second PGA TOUR win of the season as he settled for solo fourth.
The 27-year-old Kim closed with a 1-over 73 as his 5-under 283 complete was two again of Hovland, who defeated Denny McCarthy in a playoff.
Hovland has had some superb finishes this season, together with T-10 at Palmer Invitational, T-3 at PLAYERS, T-7 on the Masters and T-2 on the PGA Championships. He strikes to fifth in world rankings.
Hovland gained USD 3.6 million winner’s examine and a handshake from host Jack Nicklaus. The Norwegian’s earlier official wins had been in Mexico twice and in Puerto Rico, as per the official press launch.
Kim’s fifth top-10 of the 2022-23 Season, which features a victory on the Sony Open in Hawaii in January, moved him as much as sixth place on the most recent FedExCup standings.
American Indian Sahith Theegala was T-58 after a closing spherical 76.
Leading into the ultimate spherical alongside Rory McIlroy (75) and David Lipsky (77), a sluggish begin value Kim dearly as he dropped three strokes in his opening 4 holes. He fought again with 4 birdies in his subsequent 5 holes earlier than his title run got here to a different hit with one other bogey on the tenth gap after lacking a par try from seven toes. A double bogey on 14th ended his hopes and he lastly completed fourth. Kim gained US$980,000 and took his season’s earnings to over US$4.8 million.
Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama, the match winner in 2014, began the ultimate spherical two again however closed with a 76 to complete in a share of sixteenth place on 288.
Hovland pipped McCarthy for the match hosted by golf legend Jack Nicklaus with a par within the first further gap performed on the par-4 18th gap.
The duo posted matching 70s to complete regulation play on 7-under 281 and one forward of world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, whose nice 67 catapulted him into solo third place. Hovland was over the moon after ending his two-year title drought in entrance of Nicklaus.
Hovland mentioned, “It felt like a major. So it was really cool that I was able to get it done at a place like this”, as per the official press launch.
Rory McIlroy had the lead on the entrance 9, however he gave away far too many pictures on the again — three bogeys in a row — for a 75 that took him out of the race.
Scottie Scheffler closed with a 67 and completed third and missed the playoff by one shot, after making the minimize on the quantity. World No. 1 Scheffler has not completed worse than twelfth in his 13 begins this 12 months. (ANI)