Viktor Hovland’s putter nearly delivered another East Lake title, but a shaky final round exposed the swing problems he plans to attack this offseason.
Viktor Hovland nearly stole the 2026 Tour Championship with a scorching putter and a swing he doesn’t trust. Scottie Scheffler made sure the heist never reached the getaway car.
Hovland carried a one-shot lead into Sunday at East Lake Golf Club but closed with a 2-over 72, dropping to 13-under for the tournament. Scheffler fired a 4-under 66 to finish at 16-under, turning a three-shot deficit into a three-stroke victory.
The runner-up finish brought Hovland a $5 million payout. It didn’t bring much satisfaction.
“When we talk about my ceiling, I didn’t feel like I was anywhere close to it,” Hovland said.
That’s a ruthless assessment from a player who opened with rounds of 64, 66 and 65. Hovland led the field in putting and gained more than six strokes on the greens, reaching 15-under through 54 holes despite feeling uncomfortable with his full swing.
The putter kept covering the cracks Sunday. After bogeying the opening hole, Hovland repeatedly rescued pars from midrange and remained tied for the lead into the back nine.
Eventually, the swing sent him the bill.
A missed fairway at the 13th led to a bogey that knocked Hovland off the top. His final chance disappeared at the par-4 17th, where he stood only 100 yards from the green but launched a wedge over the putting surface. Another bogey followed, effectively handing Scheffler the title.
“It’s just frustrating when I see the same misses coming back time and time again,” Hovland said.
Now comes another renovation project.
Hovland has reunited with swing coach Joe Mayo, who helped guide his spectacular 2023 run. That season, Hovland won the BMW Championship and Tour Championship in consecutive weeks, captured the FedExCup and climbed to No. 3 in the world.
The goal isn’t to manufacture a completely new motion. It’s to recover the swing identity Hovland believes he abandoned while chasing technical improvements.
“I’ve deviated so far off of my original DNA,” he said.
Hovland still plans to play three DP World Tour events this fall before taking an extended break. When the competitive calendar finally quiets, he and Mayo will begin trying to rebuild the machine.
Hovland just finished second in the PGA Tour’s season finale while distrusting his swing. That’s either deeply concerning ... or a warning to everyone else about what could happen if he fixes it.
