Viktor Hovland won the Travelers Championship on Monday morning after world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler missed a short birdie putt in a sudden-death playoff at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Connecticut.
The playoff resumed Monday after weather and darkness suspended play Sunday, with both players tied at 21-under par after 72 holes. Scheffler appeared to have the advantage, finding the fairway and hitting his approach shot inside Hovland's on the 18th hole, leaving himself what is typically an automatic putt.
Hovland, however, made his birdie putt first, putting pressure on Scheffler. Scheffler's attempt missed the cup, handing Hovland his eighth PGA Tour victory and first since the 2025 Valspar Championship.
“Winning in the playoff against Scottie — best player in the world — that was pretty satisfying,” Hovland said.
Scheffler, who also struggled with his putting in the final round of the U.S. Open, expressed his disappointment. "Maybe I hit it a little firmer than I intended to," Scheffler said. "It looked like it got pretty far by the hole and I was playing it outside the hole, so I hit it down my line, just maybe the speed was a touch off."
The missed putt marked a dramatic finish for Scheffler in a tournament he had controlled for much of the weekend. Hovland's performance ensured Scheffler had to earn every shot, and ultimately, Hovland sank his putt while Scheffler did not.
The victory serves as a significant boost for Hovland just weeks before the British Open, while Scheffler was left to reflect on a tournament that slipped away at the final hurdle.