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Hovland takes solo lead as McIlroy surges at Tour Championship - Viktor Hovland leads the PGA Tour Championship after a strong finish with four birdies, holding a one-shot lead at 15-under par. - Rory McIlroy surged back with a seven-under 63, moving into contention at 10-under par after nine birdies. - Scottie Scheffler and three others share third place at 12-under, with a US$10 million top prize at stake in the final FedEx Cup event. AI generated LOS ANGELES – Viktor Hovland opened a one-shot lead at the PGA Tour Championship on Aug 29 as Rory McIlroy surged back into contention in the final event of the FedEx Cup play-offs. Playing with a black ribbon on his cap to mourn the passing of King Harald, Norway’s Hovland made four birdies on the final six holes to finish 15-under par, one clear of Ryan Gerard. With a US$10 million (S$12.7 million) top prize at stake, world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler was among a quartet on 12-under par, while McIlroy finished a further two shots back after a superb seven-under 63 – the day’s joint lowest round. Hovland had briefly pulled clear of overnight co-leader Gerard with a birdie on three, but bogeyed the next hole and spent most of Aug 29 trailing the American. Gerard made birdies on holes No. six, seven and 12 for a two-stroke advantage, before the Norwegian began his charge with a curling downhill putt on the 13th hole. Hovland, the 2023 Tour Championship winner, followed that up with more birdies on holes 15, 17 and 18. “When I’ve given myself an opportunity, I’ve taken it. And here we are – after 54 holes, we’re in a good spot,” Hovland said. “If I can keep hitting fairways and give myself a few more looks, I think I’m pretty deadly with that putter.” Despite being tied third, Scheffler cut a frustrated figure missing several good birdie putts, but scored a bogey-free 66. His expletive-laden rant had to be muted by broadcasters after one attempt broke unexpectedly on 13. “I was close on the putts man,” Scheffler said. “It’s challenging to hole putts. I’ll just keep giving myself the looks, and hopefully they’ll drop tomorrow.” Scheffler was joined on 12-under by Adam Scott, Ludvig Aberg and Chris Gotterup. Australia’s Scott – the oldest player in the field at 46 – is also seeking his second Tour Championship win, a full two decades since his maiden victory at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, Georgia. Sweden’s Aberg opened with a double bogey but finished with three straight birdies, while Gotterup briefly held the lead with a birdie on six before losing pace. ‘A lot better’ Meanwhile, McIlroy stormed back into contention with a whopping nine birdies. The three-time Tour Championship winner started the day seven strokes off the lead, having suffered an embarrassing double bogey on Aug 28 when consecutive chip shots rolled back downhill to settle at his feeet. But three straight birdies from holes No. 15 through 17 – all with putts of more than 3.65km – propelled McIlroy briefly into the co-lead. “I putted a lot better. I think I lost maybe a combined three on the greens over the first two days and I probably gained over three on the greens today,” said McIlroy. The Northern Irishman nearly undid his good work on the 18th hole, pulling a wild iron from deep rough over spectators and onto an adjoining fairway. But he saved par to assume the clubhouse lead on 10-under par. “I got myself back in the tournament. We’ll see what happens,” he said. He matched Robert MacIntyre – the latest golfer to thrive after playing solo due to the injury withdrawal of JJ Spaun, which left an odd number of players in the field. AFP