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Hovland, who took over the lead with a 9-under 62 in Saturday's
third round, had three birdies on the front nine Sunday and was
never threatened despite two bogeys over his final seven holes.
He finished at 23-under 261.
"Yeah, I felt like my game was in a good spot going into this
week, and I knew this course fit me really well, so I was -- I
was coming in with some high expectations, but obviously for it
to end like this and win by four shots, it's been a cool week,"
Hovland said. "Couldn't ask for it to go any different."
Mexico's Carlos Ortiz (66) made a late charge but just missed
out on winning on his home soil, finishing at 19 under, while
Justin Thomas (69) was alone in third place at 18 under. Scottie
Scheffler (66) finished in fourth place at 17 under, while
Matthew Wolff (65) and Chile's Joaquin Niemann (66) were tied
for fifth at 16 under.
It was Hovland's second consecutive victory in the event, and
his third career victory since joining the PGA Tour in 2019. He
also won the Puerto Rico Open in February of 2020.
Hovland ended up with six birdies over his final 18 holes after
he delivered nine birdies in Saturday's dominating round. The
victory came while using a borrowed driver from James Hahn, a
necessity after Danny Lee borrowed Hovland's driver on the
driving range earlier in the week and snapped it.
While the slightly shorter driver cost Hovland distance -- up to
10 yards per drive -- he made up for the loss in length with
better accuracy, opening up as much as a six-shot lead Sunday
while on the back nine.
"I've had my best year off the tee strokes gained with the one
that I had before it broke," Hovland said. "So I don't really
see a point in changing that driver, but I could see myself
using maybe this setup at certain courses, for sure."
"(Hahn) was really nice to borrow me his back-up, so I
definitely owe him one," Hovland cracked. "We can negotiate
something going forward."
Ortiz was even par through 11 holes Sunday before making his
late push. He had four consecutive birdies from holes 12-15,
then added another at the par-4 17th hole. It wasn't enough, but
it did give him a runner-up finish.
"Having them out here, all my friends, I just found a way to get
something going," Ortiz said. "And it's funny how golf works,
but once you hit that first shot that you see and how you want
it, just clicks and I just find that confidence that I needed to
finish strong."
Thomas followed his 7-under 64 on Saturday with a 2-under 69 on
Sunday and a top-3 finish. He had two birdies and a bogey on the
front nine, and did the same on the back, with birdies at 13 and
15 before closing with three pars.
"I hit some good putts that I felt like could have gone in that
just didn't," Thomas said. "Yeah, I just didn't drive it well,
didn't get off to a good enough start to really put any pressure
on Viktor."
Wolff finished an up-and-down event with Sunday's 6-under 65. He
shot a 10-under 61 to take the first-round lead but fired a
3-over 74 on Saturday.
--Field Level Media
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