Viktor Hovland was waiting patiently Sunday after a furious birdie-eagle-birdie finish at the Dubai Desert Classic that got him in the house at 12-under par.
First he waited on 48, soon to be 49-year-old Richard Bland, who birdied the 72nd hole to match Hovland’s 12-under total.
Then Bland joined Hovland’s waiting game as both prepped for a playoff that wasn’t supposed to happen. After all, Rory McIlroy was safely in the fairway at 18, 261 in, plenty of room to bail left and still make that birdie for the victory.
While Hovland and Bland warmed up on the range, McIlroy pulled his three-wood, took aim at the green then hit a high, awful shot that sailed left-to-right and was so bad, it didn’t come close to land and splashed down in the water fronting the green. There would be no birdie from Rory, not even a par and the Mighty McIlroy had blown yet another tournament.
Hovland, who is 24 years younger than Bland, didn’t waste any time. He hit a great drive, waiting as Bland bailed left of the green. Hovland then hit a high-shot from 241 that easily found the green, 45 feet away. Bland hit a great pitch but left himself that downhill seven-footer for birdie. He knew he needed it as Hovland putted and his lag settled just inside three feet for birdie.
Bland, who has just one DP World Tour win, watched his birdie bid slide by the hole, leaving Viktor the easy one for victory.
“This is pretty wild. I didn’t really think this was possible going in today,” said Hovland, who started the day six shots off the lead. “I knew I had to shoot a really low number but a lot of things had to go my way and I’m thankful that they did.” Hovland had a big hand in making things go his way. After a maddening three-putt bogey on the 15th hole, he bounced back by holing a 35-footer for birdie at the 16th. He then drove the green on the 338-yard par four 17th and holed a 33-footer for eagle to get to 11-under. He finished his charge off by hitting the 18th in two and two-putting for birdie and a round of 66 that got him to 12-under.
“I was fuming after the three-putt on 15 and thought that was it and I knew I just had to try to finish off well and get a nice position for the week. I rolled a really long one on 16 and then on 17 and, hey, we got a shot,” Hovland recalled afterward.
But it looked like a long shot. McIlroy was 12-under when he arrived at that short 17th, a great birdie opportunity. But Rory yanked his tee shot way left and it settled into a bush. He managed to chop his ball out into the high grass just short of the green and made a great pitch that settled within three feet. He had to scramble for par on the birdie hole.
At 18, Rory once again hit an awful shot when all he needed to to was take the bailout left to have a good shot at birdie and a par at worst.
“I’m pumping right now,” Hovland said with a big smile. “It’s a little bit surreal and it’s hard to kind of calm yourself a little bit but you’ve just got to rely on all the shots that you hit and just go back to what you know.”
After a tie for fourth last week in Abu Dhabi then this win, Hovland will move up to No. 3 in the Official World Golf Rankings.
He’s bearing down on No. 2 Collin Morikawa, who struggled all week, shot five-under and finished tied for 18th.
: Hovland Gets Dramatic In Dubai, Rory Implodes On 72nd Hole){kind=link}
5 Comments
baxter cepeda
Tom didn’t mention Rory pulled his 3 wood on the driveable 17th into a bush and did great to make par.
He then hit a good 3 wood off the tee on 18. He hit driver the day before into a perfect spot. Still, it’s inexplicable how he sliced that thing in the water.
On the bright side this opened the door for 2 of the most likeable men in gold.
Richard Bland making that putt on 18 was just another amazing late highlight in this 48 year olds career. He didn’t go on to win but that putt still fully validated his first win last year on the euro tour. It’s just so cool to see golf still has guys pushing 50 playing the best golf of their lives.
Then there is Viktor Hovland whom I am proclaiming now is officially my golfer. Sorry JT. Like JT I saw pro greatness in Hovland while he was still an amateur.
And Viktor is just so darn likeable.
Hovland has now cracked that formidable top 3, which was supposed to be unattainable this year. Being the so darn likeable guy that he is Viktor downplayed his chances to catch Morikawa and the big man rahm…but they are both very much within reach for the cool man from Denmark.
What a great tournament this one is. I’ve grown to love the course.
Also Really enjoyed Yas Links last week, the way it started soft, then played through those high winds, then got quite linksy over the weekend, especially Sunday. The scoring was Perfect with Peters simply staying at -10’under Par all Day —like Faldo at an Open —to win. It is ironic the European tour has to go to the Middle East to add some good links golf. But I’ll take it.
Tom Edrington
Uh, Baxter, go back and re-read, I sure did mention Rory driving into that bush at 17….what we didn’t mention is Rory dropped a couple of F-Bombs during his assessment of the situation and we did mention he made a nice par save there…as for Viktor, how can you NOT like him, I’ve never seen anyone smile that much on the golf course…
baxter cepeda
There is your boo Kuch. Especially when he was closer to Viktors age.
Sorry didn’t see it. I also heard the F bomb, and pretty sure I heard another one recently on the DP tour, and it may have been Rory.
Tom Edrington
I think Kooch’s game begins to really erode this season…..as you know, hardly my favorite…..I’m torn between Collin and Viktor as guys that are the most likeable AND really, really good players.
baxter cepeda
Kuch will slowly regress in his 40s but I’m actually projecting him to have a better year than his last year or so.
I like collin especially since he is almost my folks neighbor but Prefer viktor and Cantlay.
At least collin doesn’t have Rahms temper, which is a huge turn off.
I love pats draw game and Hovlands overall style. I love the things that come out of Cantlays brain. And the genuinely nice guy that viktor is.
They are all a good group of guys. And many more class players right on their tail.