Viktor Hovland Claims Maiden Euro Tour Victory at BMW International Open

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Viktor Hovland
Viktor Hovland poses with the trophy after winning the BMW International Open at Golfclub Munchen Eichenried on June 27, 2021 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Andrew Redington via Getty Images)

Viktor Hovland shot a final-round 70 to claim his maiden European Tour victory at the 2021 BMW International Open.

The 23-year-old entered the final day at Golfclub Munchen Eichenried with a three shot advantage but home favorite Martin Kaymer carded a 64 to join him at 17 under.

After playing his first 12 holes to even par, Hovland made birdies on Nos. 13 and 16 to go ahead by two shots. A bogey on 17 was offset with a final-hole birdie to get back to 19 under, good for a two shot win over Kaymer.

“I grew up watching mostly the European Tour,” said Hovland, who locked up a spot on the Europe’s Ryder Cup team. “There’s a lot of guys who played this week who I grew up watching.

“It’s cool to be a champion of this Tour, in Germany, in a place that… it’s not in Norway, but it’s close and has some of the same feelings of being home.

“It’s a huge honor and finally Norway has a win on the European Tour.”

He added: “I saw (Kaymer) was creeping up from behind and Jorge was hanging on and after missing a bunch of putts, making the birdie on 13 helped a lot and the par save on 14, that was big for momentum.

“After that, I just tried to play pretty solid golf, not make too many mistakes, I had a three putt on 17 but great birdies on 16 and 18 – it was good enough today.

“It’s The Open, Olympics, Ryder Cup, there’s so much golf to look forward to and I’m just going to have a blast.”

Spaniard Jorge Campillo (71) was 15 under, one shot clear of France’s Victor Dubuisson, who closed with a 67.

Swede Vincent Norrman (66), South Africans Darren Fichardt (72), Justin Harding (69)and Shaun Norris (69), Englishmen Sam Horsfield (68) and Andy Sullivan (69), and Austrian Bernd Wiesberger (70) were T5 on 13 under.


2021 BMW International Open


Round-4 Leaderboard: Top-10

Pos-Player-To Par (Rd 4)
1. Viktor Hovland -19 (-2)
2. Martin Kaymer -17 (-8)
3. Jorge Campillo -15 (-1)
4. Victor Dubuisson -14 (-5)
5. Darren Fichardt -13 (E)
5. Shaun Norris -13 (-3)
5. Justin Harding -13 (-3)
5. Andy Sullivan -13 (-3)
5. Sam Horsfield -13 (-4)
5. Bernd Wiesberger -13 (-2)


Material from the European Tour Communications was used to compile this report.


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