Hovland leads by two in Mexico
PLAYA DEL CARMEN, Mexico — Viktor Hovland was hitting it so well he had no trouble taking on a big risk, and it paid off Saturday with a big finish for a 9-under 62 and a two-shot lead in the World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba.
Hovland, the defending champion at this Mexican resort, hit driver just over the green on the par-4 17th and hit a dart into the closing hole at El Cameleon for the lowest score of his PGA Tour career.
That gave the Norwegian star a two-shot lead over fellow Oklahoma
State alum Talor Gooch (63), and he was three clear of Justin Thomas
(64).
“That was fun today,” Hovland said. “Obviously, got off to a nice start and it was nice to have one of those rounds where you can kind of keep it going throughout the day instead of maybe slowing down towards the end there where, frankly, there’s some tough holes.”
Matthew Wolff, who started the weekend with a two-shot lead, made a pair of bogeys early in his round to fall out of the lead and managed only one birdie in his round of 73 that dropped him out of contention.
Scottie Scheffler had a good start and little else, and a double bogey on the 14th hole when he drove into a hazard led to a 70 that put him seven shots behind.
Hovland was at 19-under 94 as he goes for his third PGA Tour title.
Gooch was in the group ahead of him and hit iron off the tee and wedge to tap-in range for birdie that gave him a share of the lead. Hovland went with driver and it landed about 15 feet beyond the pin and rolled just off the edge. He pitched beautifully to 6 inches for birdie.
“I’ve hit it great and I thought it was the play,” Hovland said. “So if it’s the play, you pull outt the big dog and you try to hit it.”
Petrovic, Furyk tied for lead
Tim Petrovic birdied the final two holes for an 11under 61 and a share of the lead with Jim Furyk after a 36-hole Saturday in the TimberTech Championship in Boca Raton, Fla.
Furyk closed with a birdie for a 64 to match Petrovic at 14-under 130 at The Old Course at Broken Sound, a day after 5 inches of rain wiped out play in the second of three PGA Tour Champions playoff events for the Charles Schwab Cup.