Credit: APA/Getty Images via AFP/GETTY IMAGES/KEVIN C. COX
In 30th place, he had just slipped into the field of participants in the Tour Championship final of the PGA golf professionals. From Thursday to the final day on Sunday, he was not able to work his way up into the top ten, but Sepp Straka was satisfied nonetheless . “I think my golf game has improved over the season. It was my best year”, said the 25-year-old Viennese, who now lives in the USA. Straka still received $780,000 in prize money for the shared 14th place in Atlanta.
During his race to catch up at the Tour Championship final, the brilliantly performing Viennese had already fought his way up to eleventh place. On Sunday he stayed one under par with a round of 69 and thus missed the top ten by just one stroke. Two strokes less would have even meant sixth place. “Overall, I actually played pretty well. From 30th to 14th is a strong performance”, Straka was still happy. Due to a thunderstorm, the lap on Sunday was interrupted for a long time, but that didn’t throw the Viennese out of rhythm, on the contrary. “After the rain break I took it a bit easier because it was softer.”
$18 million for the win
Victory went to Norwegian Viktor Hovland with a total of 27 under par, clearly ahead of American Xander Schauffele (-22) and his compatriot, US Open champion Wyndham Clark (-16). The 25-year-old received a bonus of 18 million US dollars from the FedExCup rating. It was Hovland’s third win on the US tour. “It’s pretty unreal to be standing here now. I’ve played my best golf in the last two weeks and it couldn’t have happened at a better time”he said after the tournament.
Last year’s winner Rory McIlroy, who has already won the Tour Championship final three times, still finished fourth, 13 strokes behind. Like Hovland, the Irishman will be active in the European selection of the Ryder Cup against the USA in Rome at the end of September. Sepp Straka also has a good chance of being called up for this prestigious duel by English captain Luke Donald. He’s never been as good as this year.
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I am Pierce Boyd, a driven and ambitious professional working in the news industry. I have been writing for 24 Hours Worlds for over five years, specializing in sports section coverage. During my tenure at the publication, I have built an impressive portfolio of articles that has earned me a reputation as an experienced journalist and content creator.
