Viktor Hovland defeated Scottie Scheffler in a one-hole sudden-death playoff on Monday morning to win the 2026 Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Connecticut. Both players finished regulation at 21-under par after 72 holes.
Playoff Details
The playoff began at 9 a.m. ET on the par-4 18th hole (442 yards). Hovland teed off first, hitting a 293-yard drive down the fairway. Scheffler matched the drive. Both players hit approach shots close to the hole: Hovland to approximately 6-7 feet, Scheffler to approximately 2-4 feet.
Hovland made his birdie putt. Scheffler missed his putt, giving Hovland the victory.
Source reports vary on the exact distance of Scheffler's missed putt, with figures ranging from two to four feet.
"I hit it on my line. I just think it was a little bit firm," Scheffler said. "Maybe I hit it a little firmer than I intended to."
Final Round Summary
- Scheffler shot a final-round 68 on Sunday; Hovland shot 65.
- Play was suspended from 5:57 p.m. to 7:20 p.m. (approximately 83-90 minutes) due to lightning when the leaders were on the back nine (reported as holes 13-14).
- At the time of suspension, Scheffler led by two strokes with 13 holes completed.
- Hovland bogeyed four of his first 10 holes before making three consecutive birdies (holes 13-15) after the delay.
- Scheffler made an 8-9 foot par putt on the 18th hole in near darkness to force the playoff.
Final Standings
Position Player Score 1 Viktor Hovland -21 (playoff winner) 2 Scottie Scheffler -21 3 Collin Morikawa -20 4 Matt Fitzpatrick -19 T-5 Wyndham Clark -18 T-5 Akshay Bhatia -18Player Statements
Viktor Hovland: "I knew I had to bring in my best to have a chance to beat him [Scheffler], and he certainly brought it out of me." He added that winning against "the best player in the world" was satisfying.
Scottie Scheffler: "I hit it on my line. I just think it was a little bit firm." He later said, "Maybe I hit it a little firmer than I intended to."
Tournament and Player Significance
The Travelers Championship is a PGA Tour signature event with a $20 million purse. This was Hovland's eighth PGA Tour victory and his first since the 2025 Valspar Championship in March 2025. He is the first international player to win the Travelers Championship since Russell Knox in 2016.
Hovland entered the week ranked 30th in the world. His best prior finish this season was 3rd at the RBC Canadian Open. This was his second PGA Tour win of 2025.
Scheffler's runner-up finish was his fourth of the season. He has one win (The American Express), three runner-ups, and 13 top-25 finishes in 13 events this season. This was Scheffler's second Travelers Championship playoff, having beaten Tom Kim in one hole in 2024. Scheffler's career record in PGA Tour playoffs is 2-2; Hovland's record is 2-0, having defeated Denny McCarthy at the 2023 Memorial Tournament.
This was the first Monday finish on the PGA Tour since The Players Championship in 2025. Norwegian soccer fans, in the U.S. for a World Cup match, were present and performed a "row" chant.
Statistical Notes
- Hovland's final-round score was reported as both 65 and 69 across different sources.
- Scheffler did not three-putt in 72 holes of regulation.
- Hovland shot a final-round 65; Scheffler shot 68. (Note: Source 5 lists Hovland's final round as 69 and Scheffler's as 68.)