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SPORTS Monday 5 deceMber 2022
Hovland hangs on to become repeat winner of World Challenge

By DOUG FERGUSON Scheffler holed a pitch from nated with a three-putt
AP Golf Writer 30 yards short of the green from about 15 feet, left him
NASSAU, Bahamas (AP) on the par-5 sixth hole for five shots behind.
— Viktor Hovland won the eagle to reach 14-under Cameron Young made a
Hero World Challenge with par and momentarily tie strong bid and got within
more excitement than he for the lead. Hovland was two shots at one point until
needed Sunday, clinching in trouble off the tee, had he took bogey on the 16th.
it with a 20-foot bogey putt to play a blind shot over a Xander Schauffele also
on the final hole for a 3-un- 20-foot high dune and then made an early run until that
der 69 to join tournament holed an 18-foot birdie putt ended with a bogey on the
host Tiger Woods as the to stay one ahead. par-5 16th.
only back-to-back winners. The next hole was pivotal, Scheffler ran off three
Hovland took a four-shot the 18th notwithstanding. straight birdies through the
lead at the turn when Scheffler's pitch from the 16th hole to get within two
Masters champion Scottie bottom of the fairway on shots, and Hovland gave
Scheffler made double bo- the short par-4 seventh him an opening on the 18th
gey on the par-5 ninth. No barely got onto the green until he closed it with the Norway,´s Viktor Hovland celebrates winning the Hero World
one got closer than two and rolled into the bunker, big putt. Challenge PGA Tour at the Albany Golf Club in New Providence,
shots the rest of the way. leading to bogey. Hovland "I made it a little more excit- Bahamas, Sunday, Dec. 4, 2022.
It just didn't feel that easy. was on the edge of a bun- ing, I guess," Hovland said Associated Press
Hovland had a two-shot ker and chipped to 5 feet with a smile.
lead on the 18th when for birdie and a two-shot Scheffler's goal was to get "I said earlier in the week who had his third runner-up
his 6-iron from the slope swing, restoring his lead to within one shot before the that I don't like finishing finish this year.
above a bunker turned three. 18th. He didn't quite reach second," said Scheffler, a "It's not a good feeling right
hard left and into the wa- Scheffler's double bogey that, but he still had a runner-up in the Bahamas now. But I'm proud of the
ter. He took a penalty drop on the ninth, which culmi- chance. for the second straight year fight."q
and hit a full wedge to
about 20 feet for a chance
to save bogey.
Scheffler was in the sandy
area right of the green,
and his chip ran hard over
the lip and settled 10 feet
away, giving him a par
putt to force a playoff if
Hovland missed.
Hovland holed the bogey
putt for another trophy
presentation with Woods.
It was far different from a
year ago, when he rallied
from six shots behind.
"It's frigging nerve-wrack-
ing," Hovland said with a
smile. "You're never that
comfortable. I didn't play
that great on the back
nine, but it was good
enough."
Woods won in 2006 and
2007 when it was held at
Sherwood Country Club.
He had to withdraw this
week with plantar fasci-
itis in his right foot, instead
watching in his Sunday red
shirt for some drama no
one was expecting.
Hovland finished at 16-un-
der 272 and won $1 million.
The victory is unofficial, but
the world ranking points
pushed him up three spots
to No. 9.
Scheffler needed to win to
return to No. 1 in the world,
at least for a few weeks.
Rory McIlroy was projected
to finish the year at the top
of the ranking regardless of
the outcome.
Starting three shots behind,