Viktor Hovland SLAM-DUNKS EAGLE at Hero World Challenge to lead after 36 holes
Viktor Hovland is putting up a staunch defence of his Hero World Challenge title after carding a 70 on Friday to lead by one shot from four players.
Two rounds down for Viktor Hovland and he has now made two highlight-reel eagles as he looks to defend his title at the Hero World Challenge.
After sharing the lead on 3-under through 18 holes, Hovland began his second round at Albany Golf Club with two bogeys in his opening four holes.
However, he recovered with a birdie on hole 5 and then on the par-5 6th hole, the young Norwegian hit a pitch that slam-dunked into the bottom of the cup for an eagle.
Hovland celebrated with his caddie Shay Knight as he moved to 1-under for his round. Playing alongside Collin Morikawa, his final-day opponent from 2021, he added three more birdies on the back-nine on his way to a 2-under 70.
The 25-year-old, who hasn't won since the Slync.io Dubai Desert Classic earlier this year, leads by one shot from Morikawa, Xander Schauffele, Scottie Scheffler and Cameron Young.
SLAM DUNK!
Viktor Hovland holes out for eagle on the par-5 No. 6. pic.twitter.com/RMRBzYEPW7
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) December 2, 2022
Hovland's first eagle of the week came on the par-4 14th hole on Thursday as he drove his ball only a couple of feet from the hole, flirting with a spectacular hole-in-one.
"I put myself in the fairway a lot, but it's kind of strange, like I knew it was windy and I feel like I missed so many putts. And I still don't feel like I'm hitting it very good, like I'm not comfortable over the ball, but the ball's going straight and I'm giving myself looks," Hovland said.
"It just doesn't feel that great, and I'm missing a lot of putts and somehow we ended up at 2-under today, so yeah, happy with that."
Ahead of the event which appears as an unofficial PGA Tour event on the schedule, Hovland expressed concern about having to play up to 25 times this season in order to fulfil PGA Tour and DP World Tour obligations following the announcement of the revamped schedule.
During the second round, Young performed heroics of his own on the short 14th hole as he chipped in from behind the green when faced with a tricky downhill lie. This was his fourth birdie as part of a 3-under 69.
"I was pretty happy with most of it. I didn't drive it particularly well, but my short game's been great. I mean, I feel like I've gotten up and down from like the waste areas quite a few times. Yeah, that's kept me in it for sure," Young said after his round.
Tom Kim entered the second round with a share of the lead on 3-under, but the up-and-coming South Korean could only manage a level-par 72 to remain two shots behind.
