'Stupid, Stupid Game' - Viktor Hovland Completes Stunning Finish To Beat Justin Thomas At Valspar Championship

HELLO ALL

Good morning, afternoon and evening all, and welcome to Golf Monthly's final round coverage at the Valspar Championship, which is set-up to be a thrilling finale.

Currently, there's a three-way tie for the lead, with Nico Echavarria, Jacob Bridgeman and Viktor Hovland sat at seven-under and top of the leaderboard.

As of writing, two-time Major winner Xander Schauffele has made a big move, with the American five-under through 13 holes. He will need to continue that momentum in the final stages to have a chance of a win, but with conditions getting tougher in Florida, it is still all to play for at the Copperhead Course.

SPIETH MAKING A MOVE

Three-time Major winner, Jordan Spieth, fires an excellent approach in at the par 4 second, with his tap-in birdie moving him to four-under-par, three back of the leaders.

Ahead, Lucas Glover has birdied his first three holes to get to six-under and just one back of the leaders, with the former US Open winner searching for a first PGA Tour win since 2023

MAJOR WINNER ON THE CHARGE

Schauffele is continuing his final round charge, with the two-time Major winner birdieing the par 5 14th for his fourth straight birdie.

The World No.3 produced two birdies and seven pars on his front nine, with Schauffele birdieing the 11th, 12th, 13th and 14th to get to six-under for the day and the tournament, just one back of the leaders.

BIRDIES GALORE

We're getting to the tail-end of the Sunday groupings and, looking at the leaderboard, a number of players have started their rounds strongly, with multiple under-par.

Bud Cauley, Lucas Glover and Andrew Novak are now six-under for the tournament, while 12 players are at five-under and two back of the leaders.

JUSTIN THOMAS STARTS HIS FINAL DAY

Justin Thomas fired the round of the week on Saturday, with the two-time Major winner carding a six-under 65. Although he is two back of the leaders, he is one of the favorites today and, at the first, he finds the fairway and picks up where he left off yesterday.

Elsewhere, Lowry has birdied the first to get within one of the lead, while Davis Riley has also birdied the first to get to six-under-par.

JEREMY PAUL EAGLES THE FIRST

Jeremy Paul eagles the first thanks to an excellent putt! The German holes from 26-feet to move to seven-under and into a share of the lead.

VIKTOR HOVLAND GETS UNDERWAY

The penultimate group are off at Innisbrook Resort and, first up, is Viktor Hovland, who blocks his tee shot right into the rough at the opening hole. Behind the 27-year-old is Ricky Castillo, who pulls his tee shot left and down the cart path.

Up ahead, Justin Thomas and Kevin Yu birdie the opening hole to get one back, with Cauley birdieing the seventh to move to four-under for his round and seven-under for his tournament.

LEADERS ARE OFF

An already dramatic final day is fully underway, with the leaders finally off on Sunday. In terms of opening tee shots, Nico Echavarria finds the first cut on the right side, while Jacob Bridgeman also goes right, finding the second cut.

HOVLAND TAKES THE LEAD

Hovland birdies the opening hole thanks to a delightful 15-foot putt. Like yesterday, the Ryder Cup star puts a wedge shot to mid-range and rolls it in to take the outright lead.

Ahead, Billy Horschel makes an outrageous birdie! Forced to play left-handed with his approach shot, the eight-time PGA Tour winner finds the green from over 100-yards away, before holing a lengthy putt for birdie. That is class!

BIRDIE OF THE YEAR?

CLOSE CALLS

Hovland plays a glorious approach in at the par 4 second but, from the edge of the green, he sees his putt clip the edge of the hole and lip out for birdie. He remains at eight-under, one shot clear.

Speaking of his nearest rivals, both Echavarria and Bridgeman shave the hole at the first for birdie, with both making pars. Hovland remains clear of a large group at seven-under-par.

HOVLAND EXTENDS HIS LEAD

That's a dream start for Hovland, who produces a fine birdie at the par 4 third to move to nine-under and two ahead of the pack.

Finding the fairway with his tee shot, the Norwegian fires a glorious iron from 205-yards and holes his putt from 20-foot

Ahead, Thomas birdies the fifth to get to seven-under and two back. He made a charge yesterday and is starting to fire here on Sunday.

CAULEY MOVES WITHIN ONE

Bud Cauley is making a charge on Sunday and, at the par 5 11th, he makes a fifth birdie of the day to get to five-under for his round and eight-under for the tournament.

He is one back of Hovland, who finds the fairway bunker at the par 5 fifth. Behind Hovland, Bridgeman has made a stunning par at the third to stay at seven-under, two back of the leader.

ECHAVARRIA MOVES WITHIN ONE

The Colombian fires a gorgeous approach into the par 3 fourth and, from 15-feet, Echavarria holes his putt to get to eight-under and one back of Hovland at nine-under.

In Echavarria's group, Bridgeman is struggling and, at the fourth, he three-putts from five-feet for a double bogey and moves back to five-under. That's his first three-putt of the week.

THOMAS MAKING A MOVE

Thomas was one of the favorites to make a charge on Sunday and, at the sixth, he holes a left-to-right putt for birdie to move to eight-under.

Having birdied the first and fourth, the two-time Major winner finds a birdie to get to within one of Hovland, who is in the fairway at the par 4 sixth.

TOUGH GOING FOR BRIDGEMAN

While two of the overnight leaders, Viktor Hovland and Nico Echavarria, are still very much in contention, with Hovland one clear at the top, it's a different story so far for the other, Jacob Bridgeman. It's just not happening for the former Clemson player so far - he's two over for the day after five. The main culrpit? A disastrous double-bogey at the par-3 fourth where he found a bunker from his tee shot, then needed three putts.

BEST FRIENDS BATTLING IT OUT

We have an interesting situation near the top of the leaderboard, with Bud Cauley and Justin Thomas just one behind Viktor Hovland at the top.

They're big friends, and last week, JT revealed how he was desperately rooting for Cauley to win The Players Championship for his first PGA Tour title. That didn't quite happen, but now both are battling it out - albeit with Cauley several holes further along - with Thomas looking for his first win since the 2022 PGA Championship!

ERROR FROM HOVLAND

At the seventh, leader Viktor Hovland finds himself in trouble with a bunker shot that barely makes it out of the sand. He then leaves his parr putt short and has to settle for just his fourth bogey of the week. He's now back as joint leader with Bud Cauley, Nico Echavarria and Justin Thomas at eight-under.

CHANCE GOES BEGGING FOR HOVLAND

At the par-3 eighth, Viktor Hovland has an immediate chance to re-establish the solo lead, but his 18 foot putt lips out. He takes par and remains at eight-under with Justin Thomas, Nico Echavarria and Bud Cauley.

BRILLIANT FROM BUD!

Bud Cauley is in the zone. After a less-than-satisfactory bunker shot on the 16th leaves him needing to make a 21-foot chip-in to save par, he does just that to retain his place at the top of the leaderboard with Hovland and Thomas.

NOT QUITE FOR CAULEY

Bud Cauley is the player at the top of the leaderboard without many holes ahead of him. He only has two to play and, at the 17th, eyes a birdie from a long way out for the chance to nudge into the solo lead. It comes up 15in short, and he takes a par. Even if he doesn't get over the line this week, his game is looking good after a T8 at The Players last week.

BUBBLING AWAY NICELY AT THE TOP

It seems certain that whoever wins today will have more reason to celebrate than usual - there's Justin Thomas who hasn't won for three years, Viktor Hovland who has been out of form for over a year, Bud Cauley who had a long spell out of the game with injury and is looking for his first PGA Tour win, as is Ryo Hisatsume. Rookie Ricky Castillo is just one behind too. Also in the pack are the likes of Shane Lowry and Billy Horschel - big names who are perhaps due a PGA Tour win. Compelling.

HORSCHEL AND JT ON A CHARGE

Billy Horschel is making a proper go of this. He made an outrageous birdie at the fifth with a left-handed approach before holing a 31-foot putt, and now he's just drained a 20-foot putt at the 14th - his second birdie in a row - to move level at the top.

And just like that, Justin Thomas snatches the outright lead with a birdie at the 11th. It's breathless stuff at the top!

HOVLAND JOINS THE LEAD

Excellent from Hovland, who birdies the par 4 11th and joins Thomas at the top of the leaderboard. The Norwegian is searching for a first win since 2023 and, thanks to a delightful birdie putt, he is now in a share of the lead with seven holes remaining.

THOMAS TAKES THE LEAD

Just as Hovland ties the lead, Thomas fires back at the 12th! The two-time Major winner made the cut on the number and, following an excellent round on Saturday, he is once again flying on Sunday.

Having birdied the par 4 11th, Thomas puts it to 20-feet on the 12th, with his birdie putt never leaving the hole as it drops in the centre for a fifth birdie of the day. He is the first player to get to double digits at 10-under.

LEADERS FIRING

Both Hovland and Thomas miss birdie putts at the 11th and 12th but, despite the disappointments, both continue to fire, with Hovland finding the green at the par 3 12th and Thomas finding the fairway at the par 5 13th.

The duo are the players to catch right now, with the chasing pack running out of holes to track down the pair. In all likelihood, I can see Thomas and Hovland battling it out at the end of the day...

THOMAS BIRDIES THE 14TH

Two excellent shots at the par 5 14th puts Thomas near the front edge and, faced with an easy up-and-down, the American puts his chip to tap-in range to get to 11-under.

He moves two shots clear but, back on the tee, Hovland, finds the fairway at the par 5 and will have a clear shot into the green. It's currently cat-and-mouse between the two right now.

HISATSUNE BIRDIES THE 16TH

Hisatsune produces a fine approach into the par 4 16th, which ranks as the toughest hole on the course today. Faced with 10-feet for birdie, the Japanese star rolls it in to get to nine-under, two back of Thomas, who has a birdie putt coming up on the par 3 15th.

THOMAS IS ON A ROLL

Thomas' putter is on fire right now, with the American reading his birdie putt at the 15th superbly. After firing his approach to 15-feet, his putt never looks anywhere else as it rolls into the centre of the cup to get to 12-under.

Momentarily, Thomas leads by three but, at the par 5 14th, Hovland converts his birdie putt and gets to 10-under, two back of the American.

ANOTHER BIRDIE FOR JT

TROUBLE FOR JT

Well... it seemed that Thomas was cruising to the title but, at the 16th, he pulls his tee shot left and is forced to chip out. From there, Thomas makes his worst swing of the day and finds the right bunker, with a difficult up-and-down coming up for bogey.

GOOD BOGEY FOR THOMAS

In the end, it's a bogey for Thomas at the 16th, with the American getting up-and-down from the greenside bunker. It's a dropped shot, but he remains one clear of Hovland, who is in the middle of the fairway at the hole JT has just played.

WHAT A SHOT FROM HOVLAND

The 16th has been ranked as the toughest hole today but, with his approach, Hovland plays a stunning and aggressive shot into the green. Thanks to a high draw, his second shot finishes around eight-foot from the hole, with the former FedEx Cup champion setting up a great chance to tie things up at the top of the leaderboard

HOVLAND BIRDIES THE 16TH

This is unreal golf from those at the top of the leaderboard, with Hovland birdieing the 16th hole following an exceptional approach into the green.

Although he dropped a shot at the 16th, Thomas puts a 4-iron to around 17-feet at the 17th with a great look for birdie coming up. Meanwhile, back at the 15th, Jacob Bridgeman has chipped in for birdie to get to nine-under, two back of the leaders

INCHES FROM THOMAS

Agonisingly close from Thomas at the 17th, who misses his first putt from inside 15-feet today! He had a great chance to take the outright lead following a great approach, but it just lips out as he stays at 11-under.

HOVLAND FIRING BACK

BIRDIE FOR HOVLAND

What a birdie for Hovland! This is incredible from the Norwegian, who fires a superb iron into the 17th and rolls in an equally superb putt for birdie to take the lead going down the 18th.

TROUBLE DOWN THE 18TH

On the tee, Hovland needs to find the fairway, but his tee shot is carved well right and into the rough. It's unclear as to what his lie is like.

Up on the green, Thomas plays a good bunker shot but it holds up in the rough. He has a chance for par, but his putt jumps right and a bogey means Hovland has to par or bogey to, likely, win.

HOVLAND'S BIRDIE PUTT ON 17:

CLASSY FROM HOVLAND

His tee shot draws a good lie and, with a clear line to the green, Hovland fans his second out right. However, with three shots needed from a few yards, he plays a nice chip to 15-feet and will have two putts for the victory.

HOVLAND WINS THE VALSPAR CHAMPIONSHIP

WORDS FROM THE CHAMP

THE BEST OF HOVLAND'S WIN