NASSAU, BAHAMAS: Viktor Hovland put on a putting masterclass to gather 10 birdies en route a superb 8-under 64, swelling his lead at the Hero World Challenge to three shots with one round to go.
Despite being three shots clear, no one knows it better than Hovland that no lead is safe in Albany. Hovland's housemate of last two years, Collin Morikawa lost a five-shot lead as Hovland himself made up a six-shot deficit on the final day a year ago.
The course, with five Par-5s, has been throwing up a lot of mud balls on account of soft and soggy fairways this year, but it can also throw up low scores like Hovland's 64.
After his lowest score in seven rounds at Albany, Hovland is in sight of back-to-back successes for the second time in his career – having done so at the World Wide Technology Championship and could become the first to do so at HWC since Tiger Woods in 2007.
Hovland's 10 birdies, with six in the final eight holes, is a career-high for the Norwegian, who has twice before nailed nine birdies in a round. Hovland's ability to finish off a tournament is well-documented with two of his three wins having come when he held or shared the lead after 54 holes.
Scottie Scheffler found himself at the wrong end of mudballs but still did well to shoot 66.
