Viktor Hovland makes honest admission after painful Scottie Scheffler defeat

Viktor Hovland was left to rue a missed opportunity at the Tour Championship after a disappointing final round allowed Scottie Scheffler to claim the FedEx Cup with a three-shot victory at East Lake.

Hovland began the final day with a one-shot lead over Ryan Gerard, while Scheffler was three shots further back. 

But the Norwegian could only manage a lacklustre 2-over 72 as Scheffler fired a closing 66 to win by three shots on 16-under par. 

Hovland still walked away with a $5 million prize for finishing second in the season-long FedEx Cup race, but the result was a bitter pill to swallow for the 28-year-old, who was hoping to win the title for a second time after his 2023 triumph.

"Overall, week-wise, second place is a good showing," Hovland told reporters Sunday night in Georgia. 

"Obviously pretty disappointed with how I played today, just with the position that I was at. I only would have needed 1-under par to force a playoff."

The frustration was obvious. Hovland felt that if he had produced the ball-striking that has been a trademark of his best golf, he could have taken the title.

"If I just had my normal game, my normal ball striking from the previous years, I think I take away this tournament," he admitted.

But Hovland can at least look back on one victory over Scheffler this season.

The Norwegian claimed his eighth PGA Tour title earlier this summer when he defeated Scheffler in a Monday playoff at the Travelers Championship, meaning he did manage to get one over on the World No.1 despite Scheffler ultimately having the final say at East Lake.

That victory was also part of an encouraging late-season turnaround for Hovland, who has battled inconsistency during the last couple of years.

"I kind of look at it as a huge positive, but at the same time, just a reminder of what I feel like I should have done," he said.

Hovland's recent improvement comes after he reunited with coach Joe Mayo earlier this month. 

Mayo was also in his corner during his outstanding 2023 campaign, and the signs suggest the pair may once again be moving in the right direction.

"Scoring-wise, I feel like I'm really close," Hovland said.

"If I can just help myself out a little bit, just put the ball in the fairway and have one predictable shot, I feel like I'm going to play some really good golf."

However, Hovland remains frustrated by the recurring misses in his game.

"The first few days, I felt like I still wasn't swinging it all that great, but the ball went straight. Today, still wasn't swinging it great, and now the ball went sideways."

That inconsistency is something Hovland wants to address, but he does not believe he is miles away from returning to his best.

In fact, he offered a fascinating insight into what he wants to achieve with Mayo, admitting that he has "deviated so far off of my original DNA" and wants to move closer to the game that brought him so much success.

The challenge is finding enough time to make those changes while continuing to compete.

"I've tried to do that throughout the season the last couple years, but it's so difficult when you have to play every single week and perform," Hovland explained.

"It kind of feels like you're taking one step forward and then one step back every single week, and that takes a little bit of a toll."

Hovland will continue to compete in a handful of events on the DP World Tour before the end of the season, but he clearly wants an extended period away from the pressure of weekly competition to properly work on his game.

"I would like to have just an extended period of time to where I could really make some progress and stack the chips," he said.

So while the three-shot defeat to Scheffler will inevitably sting, Hovland's runner-up finish at East Lake may ultimately prove to be another important step towards rediscovering the player who lifted the FedEx Cup three years ago.

His $5 million prize is a substantial consolation, but the bigger reward could be the growing belief that his best golf is once again within reach and that a first major title is finally on the cards for 2027.