Scottie Scheffler settles for second position at Hero World Challenge, fails to reclaim World No. 1 ranking
World No. 2 Scottie Scheffler has failed to convert a win for the second consecutive time at the Hero World Challenge. Scheffler was denied in his bid to reclaim the World No. 1 ranking by Viktor Hovland, who clinched the title with a two-stroke lead to become the second player after Tiger Woods to win successive titles at the tournament.
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At the Hero World Challenge, Scottie Scheffler finished his week off in solo 2nd position on -14, just 2 shots back, following a final round of 68 (-4).
Well done on a great weeks work, Scottie! 👊🏽 https://t.co/7szctvHAI8
While Scheffler finished the fourth round carding 4 under 68 with an overall score of 14 under 274, Norway's Viktor Hovland ended his campaign carding 12 under 272 to clinch the title.
Scottie Scheffler tried all odds to finish top of the leaderboard but had to settle for a runner-up finish after a bogey on the 18th hole.
Back-to-back in the Bahamas 🏆 🏆
Viktor Hovland defends his title at the Hero World Challenge. https://t.co/ELYhyTEhoT
Scottie Scheffler clinched four PGA Tour wins in 2022
As Hovland entered the final round with a three-stroke lead, an eagle by Scheffler on the par-5 6th shrunk the difference to only a point.
However, Scheffler struggled in further holes. A double bogey on the par-5 9th hole took Hovland five shots ahead of him.
In his run to regain the World No. 1 ranking, Scheffler got his momentum back in the final nine holes where he shot three consecutive birdies on the 14th, 15th, and 16th holes, shrinking the lead to two points with two holes to play.
As the two reached the 18th hole, Hovland was at a two-point lead over Scheffler.
Both bogeyed on the 18th hole. Hovland played his drive through a bunker onto the green. From there, he played his second into the water.
Scheffler immediately sensed the opportunity as a double bogey from Hovland and a par from his end could force a playoff.
However, the World No. 2 could not capitalize. Though he needed a birdie, he played into the waste bunker right of the green and also made a bogey.
Hovland sensed the possibility of a playoff and saved a double bogey by hitting the 20ft bogey putt successfully to clinch the title while maintaining the same two-point lead.
Scottie Scheffler, on his part, was proud of how his season panned out this year, despite finishing second best at the Hero World Challenge.
“I’m proud of how I played the back nine,” Scottie Scheffler was quoted as saying by pgatour.com.“Granted it wasn’t enough, which definitely hurts, but it was nice to make a run. This has been a fun year. I have accomplished a lot. There have been some great memories in there.”
After losing to Rory McIlroy at the CJ Cup in October, the Hero World Challenge title was Scheffler's chance to regain the World No. 1 rank. Though it's an unofficial event on the PGA Tour, it provides world ranking points, not FedEx points.
"I said earlier in the week that I don't like finishing second," said Scheffler. "It's not a good feeling right now. But I'm proud of the fight."
Scottie Scheffler eventually finished at 4 under 68 while Hovland finished the fourth round at 3 under 69. The 2022 final was unlike the previous year, where Hovland rallied from points behind Scheffler to win the title.
Despite finishing runner-up, Scheffler has had a prolific 2022 season, with the Masters title and the PGA Tour Player of the Year award standing out.
The 20-man field at the Challenge included 15 of the top 20 players in the world. PGA Tour Rookie of the Year Cameron Young finished third at 12 under, Xander Schauffele finished fourth at 11 under and Justin Thomas rounded off the top five by finishing at 10 under.