WORLD NUMBER ONE Scottie Scheffler produced a final day charge on Sunday to overhaul Viktor Hovland and win the PGA Tour Championship for the second time.
Four-time major champion Scheffler, who also won the season-ending Tour Championship in 2024, carded a four-under-par 66 to finish on 16 under and seal a three-shot victory at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta.
Rory McIlroy finished in a share of fourth place on 11-under after a one-under 69 in the final round.
The Masters champion was in contention after a superb 63 on Saturday, but he made a terrible start in the final round with three bogeys on the first, fourth and fifth holes. An eagle at six revived his charge before another slip at the ninth saw him make the turn on two-over.
He was much stronger on the back nine, picking up birdies at 10, 12, 16 and 18 along with one more bogey on the 17th.
McIlroy will now turn his attention to the Irish Open at Doonbeg, which starts on Thursday, 10 September. He won the tournament last year for the second time after a play-off against Sweden’s Joakim Lagergren.
Scheffler started the day three off the pace following Saturday’s third round but chipped away at Hovland’s advantage before pulling clear down the stretch to clinch the 22nd title of his PGA Tour career, and the $10 million (€8.59 million) winner’s cheque.
“Today was a day in which I was fortunate to get off to a good start and then was able to make some birdies to kind of seal the deal,” Scheffler said afterwards.
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“Just continuing to battle, day in and day out is something that I’m very proud of… coming from behind and being able to win tournaments is a really cool feeling.”
Hovland, who had been chasing his second Tour Championship win after lifting the 2023 title, saw his hopes evaporate with a closing two-over-par 72. He finished on 13 under.
Earlier, Scheffler had launched his bid for the title with a brilliant birdie on the par-three second, his tee-shot finishing just an inch from the cup for a simple tap-in.
Another birdie followed on the fourth when he rolled in a 23-foot putt for birdie.
There was a hiccup on the seventh with a bogey, but he pulled that shot back with his third birdie of the day on the eighth.
Birdies on the 10th and 13th left him at four under before a bogey checked his momentum on 15.
But he dealt the decisive blow on the 16th, when a sensational second shot from the bunker left him with an 11-foot birdie putt which he duly rolled in for a two-shot advantage.
Hovland had a golden chance to pull a shot back on the 15th, but his putt lipped out to leave Scheffler in control.
The Norwegian missed another birdie opportunity on the 16th, but his putt curled agonizingly wide of the hole to leave him trailing by two shots with two to play.
The writing was on the wall on for Hovland after his third bogey of the day left him trailing by three shots to leave Scheffler untouchable.
It was a frustrating final day for Hovland, who had rattled in putt after putt in Saturday’s third round on his way to a five-under-par 65. His sure touch on the greens deserted him on Sunday, though, with only one birdie made.
Ryan Gerard finished in third place on 12 under after a closing 72.
England’s Tommy Fleetwood, the 2025 champion, was one shot back from McIlroy, tied for 11th on 10 under alongside Australia’s Adam Scott and Cameron Young of the United States.
Tom McKibbin during the British Masters. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
Meanwhile at the British Masters, Tom McKibbin finished in a share of sixth place. The 23-year-old, who will also be in action at the Irish Open, closed out with an even-par 72 in the final round to finish on 10-under.
His final round included three birdies and an eagle at the 17th while he also had two bogeys and a double-bogey on the eighth hole.
McKibbin finished four shots off the winner Joe Dean of England.
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Scheffler wins Tour Championship as McIlroy warms up for Irish Open with top-five finish
WORLD NUMBER ONE Scottie Scheffler produced a final day charge on Sunday to overhaul Viktor Hovland and win the PGA Tour Championship for the second time.
Four-time major champion Scheffler, who also won the season-ending Tour Championship in 2024, carded a four-under-par 66 to finish on 16 under and seal a three-shot victory at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta.
Rory McIlroy finished in a share of fourth place on 11-under after a one-under 69 in the final round.
The Masters champion was in contention after a superb 63 on Saturday, but he made a terrible start in the final round with three bogeys on the first, fourth and fifth holes. An eagle at six revived his charge before another slip at the ninth saw him make the turn on two-over.
He was much stronger on the back nine, picking up birdies at 10, 12, 16 and 18 along with one more bogey on the 17th.
McIlroy will now turn his attention to the Irish Open at Doonbeg, which starts on Thursday, 10 September. He won the tournament last year for the second time after a play-off against Sweden’s Joakim Lagergren.
Scheffler started the day three off the pace following Saturday’s third round but chipped away at Hovland’s advantage before pulling clear down the stretch to clinch the 22nd title of his PGA Tour career, and the $10 million (€8.59 million) winner’s cheque.
“Today was a day in which I was fortunate to get off to a good start and then was able to make some birdies to kind of seal the deal,” Scheffler said afterwards.
“Just continuing to battle, day in and day out is something that I’m very proud of… coming from behind and being able to win tournaments is a really cool feeling.”
Hovland, who had been chasing his second Tour Championship win after lifting the 2023 title, saw his hopes evaporate with a closing two-over-par 72. He finished on 13 under.
Earlier, Scheffler had launched his bid for the title with a brilliant birdie on the par-three second, his tee-shot finishing just an inch from the cup for a simple tap-in.
Another birdie followed on the fourth when he rolled in a 23-foot putt for birdie.
There was a hiccup on the seventh with a bogey, but he pulled that shot back with his third birdie of the day on the eighth.
Birdies on the 10th and 13th left him at four under before a bogey checked his momentum on 15.
But he dealt the decisive blow on the 16th, when a sensational second shot from the bunker left him with an 11-foot birdie putt which he duly rolled in for a two-shot advantage.
Hovland had a golden chance to pull a shot back on the 15th, but his putt lipped out to leave Scheffler in control.
The Norwegian missed another birdie opportunity on the 16th, but his putt curled agonizingly wide of the hole to leave him trailing by two shots with two to play.
The writing was on the wall on for Hovland after his third bogey of the day left him trailing by three shots to leave Scheffler untouchable.
It was a frustrating final day for Hovland, who had rattled in putt after putt in Saturday’s third round on his way to a five-under-par 65. His sure touch on the greens deserted him on Sunday, though, with only one birdie made.
Ryan Gerard finished in third place on 12 under after a closing 72.
England’s Tommy Fleetwood, the 2025 champion, was one shot back from McIlroy, tied for 11th on 10 under alongside Australia’s Adam Scott and Cameron Young of the United States.
Meanwhile at the British Masters, Tom McKibbin finished in a share of sixth place. The 23-year-old, who will also be in action at the Irish Open, closed out with an even-par 72 in the final round to finish on 10-under.
His final round included three birdies and an eagle at the 17th while he also had two bogeys and a double-bogey on the eighth hole.
McKibbin finished four shots off the winner Joe Dean of England.
– © AFP 2026
Additional reporting by Sinéad Farrell
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