World Heroes Challenge 2022 Leaderboard, Score: Viktor Hovland rises to the top of the final round
The conditions were ripe to pick Albany in the third round of the 2022 Hero World Challenge. With players racing for position for most of the day, it was the overnight lead Viktor Hovland who ultimately made the biggest moves. Hitting 10 birdies against two bogeys, the world No 12 enjoyed the round of the tournament, signing an 8 under 64 to sit in the bottom 13 and extend his lead to three strokes.
“It was great, I just kept making birdies,” Hovland said. “It’s weird. Mid-round, I made a lot of money and it really doesn’t feel like I’ve made that much. I just kept playing golf and kept hitting the shots. I stood at the top. 18th hole with 9 points below par. That’s pretty sweet.”
Hovland is also the beneficiary of some good fortune; players play the ball down for the first time in a whole week. With Cameron Young, Xander Schauffele, Justin Thomas and many others experiencing noticeable mud stains on their golf balls during their rounds, Hovland was able to avoid such a fate.
The result for Hovland was a three-stroke lead as he attempted to successfully defend his crown from a year ago. Proving himself to be capable in this environment, the 25-year-old has been on the PGA Tour in a row – the 2020 and 2021 World Tech Championships – and looks set to do it again.
Leader
1. Viktor Hovland (-13)
Going into the third round with a one-stroke lead, Hovland found himself two strokes behind his previous nine. Overcoming six birdies nine points back to the round of the tournament, he is now in an enviable position three points off the field. Noting his placement and the calm conditions for strong play, if the wind continues to calm on Sunday, another round of lows could be on the horizon.
“I played pretty badly the first two days, but I think that was largely due to the wind,” Hovland said. “My strong point is feeling the slope with my foot, and when it starts blowing at 30 mph it’s hard to feel balanced enough to feel some of the nuances. Then you have to play with it too. wind, so it was a lot easier today when it wasn’t very windy and I started everything on the line and just felt like I was going to get it all done.”
other candidates
2. Scottie Scheffler (-10)
T3. Justin Thomas, Cameron Young (-8)
T5. Collin Morikawa, Xander Schauffele (-7)
7. Jon Rahm (-4)
8. Sepp Straka (-3)
T9. Sam Burns, Tony Finau (-2)
Morikawa entered the finals a year ago with a six-stroke advantage only to explode and was chased by Hovland. A year later, perhaps the two-time major champion can return the favor as he will start on Friday Sunday at the pace set by the Norwegian. While the win doesn’t mean being world number 1 like last year, it will mark his first trip to the winner’s circle in more than a year.
“Just go low,” Morikawa said of his game plan for the final round. “I have to make birdies and if I just let things go like I did when I started with those nine defenders, hopefully we can gather 18 of those and post a low number. That’s all I can really do tomorrow. Can’t control those guys.”
Tiger stole the show from the TV station
The 15-time major champion may not compete this week, but that doesn’t mean Tiger Woods isn’t out in public. Taking part in Saturday’s TV show, Woods spoke about how motivated he is to win again, his son Charlie and even re-watched the inspirational 150th Open. contact at St. Andrews.
“All of a sudden, I realized I might not be coming back here as a competitor anymore and I started to cry a little bit,” Woods said of his memorable move up the aisle. 18th hole at the Old Course. “I said, ‘Can you just suck it and get a bird here?'”
2022 Hero World Challenge updated odds and picks
Odds via Caesars Sportsbook
- Viktor Hovland: 4/6
- Scottie Scheffler: 14/5
- Justin Thomas: 11-1
- Cameron Young: 16-1
- Xander Schauffele: 20-1
- Collin Morikawa: 28-1
Three is not insurmountable and Hovland is well aware of this having returned from six in 2021. The dynamic between him and Scheffler in the final pair will be interesting as they are already in a position. similar at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, the final tournament played out the Texans way. I think it will be just for the two of them like last year, and the result will be like Hovland lifting the trophy.
