Viktor Hovland takes control of Hero World Challenge, Scottie Scheffler in pursuit with world No. 1 spot his aim
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Published 03/12/2022 at 23:43 GMT
The Hero World Challenge at Albany Golf Club in the Bahamas is shaping up to be a final-day scrap between defending champion Viktor Hovland and world No. 2 Scottie Scheffler. Hovland extended his lead to three shots on Saturday, but Scheffler is firmly in the mix and the Masters champion has the incentive of knowing a victory on Sunday would take him back to world No. 1.
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Viktor Hovland extended his lead at the Hero World Challenge to three shots over Scottie Scheffler.
Scheffler has the incentive of knowing a win at Albany on Sunday would take him back above Rory McIlroy to the top of the world rankings.
But the Masters winner has a battle on his hands, after defending champion Hovland produced his most impressive round of the week so far.
Hovland came off the 18th green on Friday saying he was not happy with his swing, and was attempting to manage his game to avoid major errors.
There were a couple of errors on Saturday, one on the 18th to give the chasing pack hope, but there were more passages of brilliant play in a round of 64.
Hovland made four birdies on the outward nine, but he wrestled total control of the tournament on the back nine with a run of six birdies in seven holes.
Third round Leaderboard
- 1. Viktor Hovland, 13-under
- 2. Scottie Scheffler, 10-under
- T3. Justin Thomas, eight-under
- T3. Cameron Young, eight-under
- T5. Collin Morikawa, seven-under
- T5. Xander Schauffele, seven-under
Hovland was delighted with how he putted on a day when low scoring was possible due to the wind not blowing.
“I missed a 10-footer on the first hole and thought, ‘here we go again,’” Hovland said. “But after that a lot of putts went in. You need that on a day like today when the wind is down and you can be aggressive. It was a lot of fun.
“I had a great start. After the bogey on six, I was able to get back into it and three-under through nine is good.”
Hovland is likely to play aggressive on Sunday, as he said: “A lot can happen, we are playing the ball down and can get mud balls, and if you get a lost ball and someone shoots eight-under, you can play reasonable, shoot a couple-under and still get beat so I have to do what I did today.”
Hovland feels Albany plays to his strengths, as he said: “It is a great golf course.
“You have to be a good driver of the ball, it usually blows and you have to flight the ball down and that is usually my go-to shot.”
Scheffler has been trending in the right direction all week, and added a 66 to his 72 and 68 to get into the final group - albeit three adrift of Hovland.
If a player is to emerge from the pack it is likely to be Justin Thomas.
He was the only player to go bogey-free in brutal conditions on Friday, and added a 66 in the third round to sit five adrift of Hovland.
Kevin Kisner had the moment of the day with a hole-in-one on the 12th, but he is well off the pace at seven-over.
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