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 the Valspar Championship.
It looked bleak even after Hovland and Thomas finally separated from the pack during a final round so tight that nine players had at least a share of the lead at some point.
Hovland was three shots behind Thomas when he holed a 12-foot birdie putt on the par-5 14th to start his amazing run. He hit 7-iron at a tucked pin on the 16th hole — the toughest hole on the Copperhead course — to 5 feet for birdie that tied him for the lead.
And then he took dead aim to a back pin on the par-3 17th to 12 feet for birdie, which turned into a two-shot cushion when Thomas faltered late.
Thomas made it a little easier on Hovland. He made four birdies in a five-hole stretch on the back nine and was ahead by three when he walked off the 15th green. But he chose driver on the 16th and hit that into the trees, leaving him no choice but to chip out to the fairway. Thomas had to get up-and-down from a bunker to escape with bogey.
Hovland caught him with his birdie on the 16th, and Thomas was in trouble on the 18th with a drive into deep rough on the left that led to bogey. He was 7 under through 15 holes but had to settle for a 66.
Hovland played it safe on the 18th with a two-shot lead, and his bogey only determined the final margin. He finished at 11-under 273 for his seventh career victory that moves him back into the top 10 in the world.
Jacob Bridgeman, who started with a three-way share of the lead, needed to hole out from the fairway on the 18th to force a playoff. He wound up with a par and finished third.
Bud Cauley (66), Billy Horschel (67) and Ryo Hisatsune (68) tied for fourth.
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