Viktor Hovland rallies past Justin Thomas to win a chaotic Valspar Championship
Thanks to a near-perfect finish on Sunday, Viktor Hovland has fixed what has been a very rough stretch of golf.
Hovland, who was three shots off the lead at one point on his back nine, carded three birdies in his final five holes to overtake Justin Thomas and claim the Valspar Championship at Innisbrook Resort in Palm Harbor, Florida, on Sunday afternoon. That marks his seventh career win on the PGA Tour, and came after the 27-year-old had missed three straight cuts.
"It's still kind of sinking in. It was just really cool," Hovland said on NBC. "I think when JT made a birdie there on 15 and he was three shots ahead, I still just felt really calm and I wasn't really stressing even though I knew I probably had to make my putt on 14. When that went in, I just felt really, really calm there. I just hit good shots, made some putts, it was awesome."
Hovland started Sunday tied for a share of the lead, though it was Justin Thomas who surged ahead. Thomas, who just barely made the cut on Friday, posted a 65 on Saturday to get right in the mix. He then got to 7-under in his round on Sunday after making four birdies in a five-hole stretch, but he stumbled down the finish. Thomas bogeyed twice in his final three holes, which completely opened the door for Hovland.
Hovland’s back nine, however, was just about perfect. He cut into the deficit after walking in a birdie at the 14th, and then he made another birdie after sticking his approach at the 16th.
22 minutes ago Viktor Hovland was 3 back.
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 23, 2025
Now he's tied for the lead after making birdie on the toughest hole on the course @ValsparChamp.
📺 NBC pic.twitter.com/s90NeEIQAH
Hovland then drained a nearly 12-footer to give him the solo lead at the 17th after Thomas bogeyed ahead of him. That gave him a two-shot lead, which allowed him to bogey the last and walk away with the one-shot win. He finished with a 4-under 67 to close out his week.
Hovland’s win came after what was a very chaotic start to the tournament earlier this week. Three golfers absolutely erupted on the course in the first two rounds. Patton Kizzire tried to punt his putter across the green after he missed a putt on Thursday. He later withdrew due to an injury. Sahith Theegala then launched a club down the fairway after flaring a shot out to the right, though he still saved par on the hole.
The best incident came from Adam Hadwin, though, after he took his anger out on a sprinkler head after making a double bogey. The sprinkler then went off, which left Hadwin standing over it looking completely defeated.
Adam Hadwin sprinkler smash 😤🏌️♂️ @jessicahadwin
— NUCLR GOLF (@NUCLRGOLF) March 22, 2025
pic.twitter.com/sAxGc2UWcE
Thomas finished in second at 10-under on the week with his final-round 66. The 15-time winner has not won on Tour since his victory at the 2022 PGA Championship. Jacob Bridgeman finished alone in third at 9-under.
The win is Hovland’s first since the 2023 season, when he won three times on Tour and claimed the Tour Championship and FedEx Cup titles. He only had two top-10 finishes last season, however, and missed the cut at three of the four major championships. He missed the cut at The Genesis Invitational, the Arnold Palmer Invitational and The Players Championship before this week’s event, too.
Sunday's win also came just two days after Hovland was incredibly critical of his own game. He walked away from the second round talking about how frustrated he was with his own game in recent years.
"It's pretty frustrating, and you start thinking things you've never thought before," he said Friday. "And this game becomes infinitely more challenging, and it's already really challenging ... "
I am hard on myself, yeah. But that's also why I'm good. If I wasn't hard on myself, I probably wouldn't be out here. And yeah, I know that even with terrible mechanics I can still get out here and shoot a couple of nice scores, but that can also lead to 80 shots at The Players because I just don't have control over what I'm doing."
His comeback, though, is now complete.
-
Viktor Hovland races past Justin Thomas to win Valspar Championship
Hovland made four birdies on the back nine Sunday to capture his first PGA Tour title since 2023.Yahoo Sports - 1d -
Hovland ends PGA title drought with Valspar victory as Thomas fades
Viktor Hovland conjured a pair of late birdies in a four-under par 67 on Sunday to win his first US PGA Tour title since 2023, capturing the Valspar Championship as Justin Thomas faltered.Norway's ...Yahoo Sports - 1d -
2025 Valspar Championship leaderboard, grades: Viktor Hovland holds off Justin Thomas for first win since 2023
Hovland put together a sizzling finishing stretch through the Snake Pit to claim victoryCBS Sports - 1d -
Viktor Hovland outduels Justin Thomas at the Snake Pit, wins 2025 Valspar Championship
Viktor Hovland outduels Justin Thomas, wins 2025 Valspar ChampionshipYahoo Sports - 1d -
Hovland grabs share of Valspar lead in bid to end PGA title drought
Viktor Hovland carded a two-under par 69 on Saturday to grab a share of the 54-hole lead at the Valspar Championship, where the Norwegian is gunning for his first US PGA Tour title since ...Yahoo Sports - 2d -
Viktor Hovland finds a swing that works and rallies to beat Justin Thomas at Innisbrook
Viktor Hovland found a swing that worked down the tough closing stretch at Innisbrook on Sunday, making three late birdies to rally past Justin Thomas with a 4-under 67 for a one-shot victory in ...Yahoo Sports - 1d -
2025 Valspar Championship leaderboard: Viktor Hovland tied on top as Justin Thomas surges into contention
Hovland is seeking his first win in over a year, while J.T. made a big move to put a trophy in his sightsCBS Sports - 2d -
Viktor Hovland part of 3-way tie for the lead at a crowded Valspar Championship
Viktor Hovland was steady amid a wild Saturday of charges and collapses at the Valspar Championship, leaving him in a three-way tie for the lead at Innisbrook with two dozen players still very much ...Yahoo Sports - 2d -
Viktor Hovland part of 3-way tie for the lead at a crowded Valspar Championship
Viktor Hovland still isn't comfortable with his swingABC News - 2d
More from Yahoo Sports
-
New York Giants attend Louisville pro day
New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen was in attendance at Louisville's pro day, featuring QB Tyler Shough, on Tuesday.Yahoo Sports - 9m -
New York Giants attend Louisville pro day
New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen was in attendance at Louisville's pro day, featuring QB Tyler Shough, on Tuesday.Yahoo Sports - 9m -
Marlins IF Connor Norby to open season on injured list because of a strained oblique
Yahoo Sports - 10m -
Marlins IF Connor Norby to open season on injured list because of a strained oblique
Yahoo Sports - 10m -
USMNT's Nations League struggles: Is Mauricio Pochettino's plan working? | The Cooligans
With the USMNT failing to deliver in the CONCACAF Nations League finals, fans and experts alike are left questioning the team's trajectory.Yahoo Sports - 11m
More in Sports
-
New York Giants attend Louisville pro day
New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen was in attendance at Louisville's pro day, featuring QB Tyler Shough, on Tuesday.Yahoo Sports - 9m -
New York Giants attend Louisville pro day
New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen was in attendance at Louisville's pro day, featuring QB Tyler Shough, on Tuesday.Yahoo Sports - 9m -
Marlins IF Connor Norby to open season on injured list because of a strained oblique
Yahoo Sports - 10m -
Marlins IF Connor Norby to open season on injured list because of a strained oblique
Yahoo Sports - 10m -
USMNT's Nations League struggles: Is Mauricio Pochettino's plan working? | The Cooligans
With the USMNT failing to deliver in the CONCACAF Nations League finals, fans and experts alike are left questioning the team's trajectory.Yahoo Sports - 11m