Viktor Hovland Wins Mayakoba Golf Classic

The 23-year-old shot 65 (-6) to win his second PGA Tour title by one stroke in Mexico

Viktor Hovland Wins Mayakoba Golf Classic
(Image credit: Getty Images)

The 23-year-old shot 65 (-6) to win his second PGA Tour title by one stroke in Mexico

Viktor Hovland Wins Mayakoba Golf Classic

Having turned pro last June after a stellar amateur career, Viktor Hovland can now call himself a two-time PGA Tour winner and a world top 15 player.

The Norwegian birdied the 72nd hole to close out a one stroke victory over Aaron Wise in Mexico after a final round of 65.

Hovland finished at 20 under par after rounds of 67, 69, 63 and 65.

He made four birdies in his first six holes and made back-to-back birdies on 13 and 14 after a dropped shot on 12.

The 23-year-old made brilliant sandy par on 16, getting up-and-down from 40 yards, to keep his title hopes alive.

He then birdied the 458 yard par-4 18th hole after hitting his approach to 12ft and calmly holing the putt for victory.

Related: Viktor Hovland What's in the bag?

It is the first time someone has birdied the 18th at El Camaleon GC to win in the event's 14-year history.

He moves up to a career-high 15th in the Official World Golf Ranking, capping a year where he has missed just three cuts from 23 starts.

Hovland becomes just the fifth European to win multiple PGA Tour events before the age of 24, after Rory McIlroy, Seve Ballesteros, Sergio Garcia and Jon Rahm.

"I was pretty nervous throughout the day even though I hit a lot of good shots and made some birdies. Got off to a nice start so that was helpful," Hovland said.

"But after the missed putt on 15 and hit a really bad second shot into 16, however made a nice up-and-down there to kind of keep it alive, you know.

"Had a decent chance on 17 that I missed. So 18, even though it was like 10, 11, 12 feet, you know, it was a tough putt and it had a lot of break on it. I was just trying to match the speed with the line, and at that time it ended up going in.

"So it was just one of those times where it just happened to go in."

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Elliott Heath
News Editor

Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news team as well as our large Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. He covered the 2022 Masters from Augusta National as well as five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. His first Open was in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, when he walked inside the ropes with Jordan Spieth during the Texan's memorable Claret Jug triumph. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Western Gailes, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays off of a six handicap. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!

Elliott is currently playing:

Driver: Titleist TSR4

3 wood: Titleist TSi2

Hybrids: Titleist 816 H1

Irons: Mizuno MP5 5-PW

Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58

Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5

Ball: Srixon Z Star XV