2023 BMW Championship leaderboard: Viktor Hovland breaks course record, surges past Scottie Scheffler for win

Hovland put on a sensational performance Sunday to vault up the FedEx Cup Playoffs standings

The 2023 BMW Championship and the round of the season both belong to Viktor Hovland. Finishing in a flurry at Olympia Fields, the Norwegian's final round course-record 61 that included a back-nine 28 and 12 threes on his scorecard was just enough to leap world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and fellow European Matt Fitzpatrick for a two-stroke victory in the second event of the FedEx Cup Playoffs. 

"That definitely has to be the best round I've ever played," said Hovland. "Given the circumstances, playoff event at this golf course course, and to finish the way that I did the last nine holes was pretty special."

Hovland's 61 represents the lowest round in the history of the FedEx Cup Playoffs, but it didn't have the look of it during the middle stretch. Beginning the back nine four strokes off the pace of the Texan after turning in 2 under, Hovland put together one of the more absurd nine-hole heaters seen on the PGA Tour in recent memory. 

Carding seven birdies against zero bogeys, Hovland's back nine included eight threes, including par breakers on the difficult 17th and 18th, and only one four. Notching his second victory of the season with a frenzy of fireworks, Hovland has once again reminded golf fans he is among the four best players in the world.

The good decisions and shots piled up for Hovland, who became a mainstay on big-time leaderboards in 2023. Hovland's consistency has often been on display; he's one of four players to not miss a cut this season. His winning upside was validated with a massive victory at the Memorial this summer after a close call at the PGA Championship, but his ability to calm himself down and make the right choice at the right time has been a skill that he has had to learn and develop, sometimes even the hard way.

"I wouldn't say making seven birdies on the back nine is playing more conservatively going into the greens," said Hovland. "It just kind of worked out that way. I think it was more of a mindset thing. I think instead of 'Oh my God, I've 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 'OK, what is the right decision right here now, let's commit to it.' I obviously hit some great shots, got a couple nice bounces and the putts went in, but it wasn't like I mapped the whole thing out, I was just trying to make the best decision every single shot."

Hovland's performance is one for the memory banks. Not often does everything go right for a player with the right skillset at the right stage of the tournament. It's only possible if said player continues to make the right decisions, and while it may seem like those decisions came easy, like the birdies did, it took time, patience and practice to get here. That is just as impressive.

While he may have clipped Scheffler this week, Hovland will start behind the world No. 1 at the Tour Championship as the victory has catapulted him to second in the season-long race. He will begin the proceedings at East Lake Golf Club at 8 under while Scheffler starts at 10 under. Scheffler may be in the driver's seat for the second straight season heading into Atlanta, but if Hovland plays anything like he did Sunday at Olympia Fields, the American's statistically historic season may be upended by the Norwegian's heater. Grade: A++

Rick Gehman is joined by Kyle Porter, Patrick McDonald and Greg DuCharme to recap the BMW Championship. It's storylines, bets and the One & Done before heading to East Lake and the Tour Championship. Follow & listen to The First Cut on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Below are the grades for rest of the leaderboard at the 2023 BMW Championship.

7. Sungjae Im (-10): Im didn't finish where he wanted, but his performance earned him a fifth consecutive trip to the Tour Championship at East Lake. How rare is that? Im joins Jon Rahm, Rory McIlroy, Xander Schauffele and Tony Finau as the only five players to make each of the last five Tour Championships. That's extraordinary (and perhaps unexpected) company that shows just how consistently great Im has been on the PGA Tour. We generally underrate how impressive it is to make it all the way to the Tour Championship in a given year, and we definitely undervalue what it says about you as a player if you do it five times in a row. Grade: A

T22. Lucas Glover (-4): This is about where I expected Glover to land this week, and while it does mean a nice spot in the Tour Championship where he'll start with strokes on almost everyone in the field, it's probably the end of his bid for the Ryder Cup team (possibly unless he wins the Tour Championship). This week was more of a classic Glover week — he finished in the top five on approach shots and outside the top 30 in putting. This is not to demean what he did over the last two weeks, which was incredible, but it's a reminder that despite all the fervor of the last several weeks Glover is probably not a completely different player from who he's been over the course of his career. To be clear, that player is very good, I'm just not sure he's one that the United States should lean on in Rome to win for the first time in 30 years. Grade: B

T34. Jordan Spieth (+1): Spieth limped home with two bogeys and a double over the final nine holes to shoot 37 on the back and 71 on the day. It was (barely) good enough to finish 30th in the FedEx Cup standings after the second playoff event and make it to East Lake. It has to be frustrating to drive it like Spieth is yet not be getting much out of it because his iron play is struggling. He's not far away from something really special, but until the approach play improves, he's going to have to be perfect with his short game to have a chance to win. To be honest, I'm just thankful for a new Spieth meme. Grade: B-

[Aug 20, 2023 at 5:31 pm ET · Patrick McDonald]

Take a bow, Viktor Hovland

A BACK-NINE 28 for our sweet prince has Viktor Hovland with the clubhouse lead. That is a 61 for Hov and potentially the round of the season. He sits at 17 under and one clear of Scottie Scheffler who is in the fairway on 17. Hovland has 12 3s on his card today.