Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images
Hovland went crazy low at the BMW Championship for the win. He then dropped a bomb that put into perspective what this round meant.
Viktor Hovland provided one of the best rounds of the season Sunday at the BMW Championship. Hovland shot a course record 61 at Olympia Fields Country Club taking away the record that Max Homa and Sam Burns set earlier in the week.
Hovland came home in 28 strokes and made 10 birdies on his round.
“Definitely has to be the best round I’ve ever played,” Hovland told CBS Sports reporter Amanda Renner.
His card is something of legend, with eight 3s and a single 4.
To make seven birdies in nine holes is mind blowing. The back nine at Olympia Fields’ North Course is one of the toughest stretches in golf. He made the two hardest holes look easy and stayed aggressive throughout his entire round.
“Well, I wouldn’t say making seven birdies on the back is trying to play more conservative going into the greens. It kind of worked out that way,” Hovland said on CBS Sports. “I think it was more of a mindset thing. Instead of, ‘Oh my god I got a chance to win. I need to birdie this hole, I need to birdie this hole, I need to birdie this hole to have a chance.
“It was more ‘okay what is the right decision right here now and commit to it.’ I hit some great shots. I got a couple of nice bounces, and the putts went in. It wasn’t like I mapped the whole thing out. I was just trying to make the best decision every single shot.”
Hovland lit a fire on Olympia Fields Sunday afternoon and provided some of the best golf seen all season. He now sits No. 2 in the FedEx Cup points and will start the Tour Championship with eight strokes on the field, two behind No. 1 Scottie Scheffler.
Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. You can follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and on Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports for more golf coverage. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough too.
