Viktor Hovland strengthened his Ryder Cup qualification bid with a play-off victory at the Memorial Tournament on the PGA TOUR.
The win sees Hovland maintain his position as the top qualifier on the World Points List where he sits in second place on 242.39 points, with Jon Rahm leading the way but qualifying via the European Points List.
Hovland will tee it up for the first time in a Ryder Cup on European soil at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club, after featuring for the first time on Team Europe during the 2020 Ryder Cup held at Whistling Straits.
Norway’s first ever Ryder Cup player carded a final round two under par 70 to set the clubhouse lead and when Denny McCarthy failed to make par at the 72nd hole, the event headed to a play-off.
Once again, McCarthy would fail to make par at the 18th hole leaving Hovland 7ft to win his first event since December, which he duly converted.
Hovland said: "It's a little bit surreal.
"Playing Jack's (Nicklaus) course and tournament and winning it, and for him to be able to see it is pretty awesome. He just shook my hand and gave me a couple words of encouragement.
"It feels even better after a few close calls the last few months."
The victory in Dublin, Ohio, moves Hovland to fifth in the Official World Golf Rankings.
Meanwhile, on the DP World Tour, Northern Ireland’s Tom McKibbin climbed a huge 54 places on the European Points List after his maiden victory at the Porsche European Open.
The 20-year-old graduated from the European Challenge Tour last season and has wasted no time joining the winner’s circle, with fellow Northern Irishman and European Ryder Cup legend Darren Clarke also a former winner of this event.
McKibbin currently sits in 33rd place on the European Points List with 613.07 points and will need to maintain form if he is going to make Luke Donald’s European team in September.
As it stands Rahm (2,910.53 points), Rory McIlroy (2,354.20 points) and Victor Perez (1,427.58 points) sit in the three automatic qualifying spots on the European Points List, with Hovland (242.39 points), Tyrrell Hatton (162.53 points) and Matt Fitzpatrick (137.53 points) in the top three positions on the World Points List.
The 2023 Ryder Cup will take place between September 25 – October 1 at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club, Rome, Italy.
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