The conditions were ripe for the picking at Albany in the third round of the 2022 Hero World Challenge. With players jockeying for position for much of the day, it was the overnight leader Viktor Hovland who ultimately made the biggest of moves. Carding 10 birdies against two bogeys, the world No. 12 enjoyed the round of the tournament, signing for an 8-under 64 to sit at 13 under and extend his lead to three strokes.

“It was great, I just kept making birdies,” said Hovland. “It was weird. Midway through the round I made a lot and it didn’t really feel like I had made that many. I kind of just kept playing golf and kept making putts. I stood on the 18th hole 9 under par. That was pretty sweet.”

Hovland was the beneficiary of some luck as well; players played the ball down for the first time all week. With Cameron Young, Xander Schauffele, Justin Thomas and many more experiencing noticeable mud on their golf balls throughout their rounds, Hovland was able to avoid such fate.

The result for Hovland is a three-stroke lead as he attempts to successfully defend his crown from a year ago. Proving to be capable in this setting, the 25-year-old has already gone back-to-back on the PGA Tour — the 2020 and 2021 World Wide Technology Championship — and looks prime to do so once again.

The leader

1. Viktor Hovland (-13)

Entering the third round with a one-stroke lead, Hovland saw himself drift as many as two strokes behind during his front nine. Riding six back-nine birdies to the round of the tournament, he is now in an enviable spot three clear of the field. Crediting his putting and the calm conditions for the strong play, if the wind continues to lie down on Sunday, another low round could be in store.

“I kind of putted terrible the first two days, but I attribute that a lot to the wind,” said Hovland. “My strengths are really feeling the slope with the feet and when it starts blowing 30 mph, it’s hard to feel balanced enough to feel some of the nuances. Then as well, you have to play with the wind, so it was a lot easier today when it wasn’t as windy and I started everything on line and just felt like I was going to make everything.”

Other contenders

2. Scottie Scheffler (-10)

T3. Justin Thomas, Cameron Young (-8)

T5. Collin Morikawa, Xander Schauffele (-7)

7. Jon Rahm (-4)

8. Sepp Straka (-3)

T9. Sam Burns, Tony Finau (-2)

Morikawa entered the final round a year ago with a six-stroke advantage only to implode and be tracked down by Hovland. One year later, perhaps the two-time major champion can return the favor as he will begin Sunday six off the pace set by the Norwegian. While a victory won’t mean an ascension to world No. 1 like it would have last year, it would mark his first trip to the winner’s circle in more than a year.

“Just go low,” Morikawa said of his game plan for the final round. “I’ve got to make birdies and if I just kind of get things rolling like I did at the beginning of that kind of back nine, hopefully we can just put together 18 of those and post a low number. That’s all I can do really tomorrow. Can’t control those guys.”

Tiger steals show from broadcast booth

The 15-time major champion may not be competing this week, but that doesn’t mean Tiger Woods is out of the public eye. Joining the television broadcast on Saturday, Woods spoke on his motivational level to win again, his son Charlie and even revisited the emotional 150th Open at St. Andrews.

“It all of a sudden just started hitting me that I might not be back here again as a competitor and I started to kind of tear up a little bit,” Woods said of his memorable walk up the 18th hole at the Old Course. “I said, ‘Would you just suck it up and make a birdie here?'”

2022 Hero World Challenge updated odds and picks

Odds via Caesars Sportsbook

• Viktor Hovland: 4/6
• Scottie Scheffler: 14/5
• Justin Thomas: 11-1
• Cameron Young: 16-1
• Xander Schauffele: 20-1
• Collin Morikawa: 28-1

Three strokes is not insurmountable and Hovland is well-aware of this having come back from six in 2021. The dynamic between he and Scheffler in the final pair should be interesting as they were in a similar position at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, which ultimately went the way of the Texan. I think it will come down to just them two as it did last year, and the result will be the same with Hovland raising the trophy. 

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Beginning the second round alongside Richard Bland and Branden Grace atop the 2022 LIV Golf in Bangkok leaderboard, Eugenio Lopez-Chacarra forged ahead. Once again getting around Stonehill Golf Course in a bogey-free fashion, the Spaniard improved on his first day effort with a second-round 9-under 63 to put a stranglehold on this tournament.

Beginning his day on the first hole, Chacarra was after it at the jump. Making birdie in his first two holes, he saw his name rise above the rest on the leaderboard. Tacking on another birdie on the par-4 fifth and an eagle on the par-5 sixth, the 22-year-old’s advantage had grown to four by the time his group made its way to the inward half.

Not only had Chacarra ascended to the top spot alone, but one of his closest competitors Branden Grace had fallen out of the competition. Citing an acute muscle strain on his left side, the LIV Portland winner was only able to complete three holes in his second round before withdrawing.

Adding three birdies on his back nine, Chacarra ultimately signed for his second consecutive round in the mid-60s to put him at 16 under for the week. With Grace’s absence, a number of suitors have lined up behind Chacarra heading into the final round of LIV Bangkok where a massive effort will be needed in order to overcome a five-stroke deficit.

Former Masters champion Patrick Reed played himself back into the mix with a 7-under 65 and is in a tie for second alongside Bland, Sihwan Kim and Harold Varner III at 11 under. Just one stroke back is Brooks Koepka who is well-positioned to capture his first top-10 finish with LIV Golf and possibly his first victory if Chacarra is to struggle after two straight rounds of 67.

The leader

1. Eugenio Lopez-Chacarra (-16)

If able to sign for a third straight bogey-free round, it is more than likely Chacarra will be your LIV Golf Bangkok winner. Breaking a streak that has included victors such as Dustin Johnson and Cameron Smith, the inclusion of the youngest member of the circuit in the winner’s circle is welcomed news for the upstart golf league. The 22-year-old still has his work cut out for him, but he is insistent that — much like Matthew McConaughey — by going back, he is actually moving forward.

“I think the key was I went back to see what I was doing in college because I was working so good and I didn’t do as good the first four weeks as a pro, and it was just try to have fun and then play to not make bogeys,” said Chacarra. “Kind of play smart on the course, and that’s what I’ve started doing this week. I feel my game — I’m actually hitting it pretty good, but I’m playing smart and I’m having fun, so that’s the key for these couple rounds.”

Other contenders

T2. Richard Bland, Sihwan Kim, Harold Varner III, Patrick Reed (-11)

T6. James Piot, Brooks Koepka (-10)

T8. Marc Leishman, Lee Westwood, Kevin Na (-9)

There are some strong pursuers in this group if Chacarra is to slip up. Koepka is the most intriguing I would say just given his lack of recent quality but also his ability to seal the deal when in contention. Motivation is a word that has been thrown around in regards to some of these players and while some are still working away on their off-weeks, Koepka has been seen yachting around the Mediterranean and enjoying his life to the fullest. This has led to some poor efforts in the LIV Golf Series but maybe, just maybe, he decided enough was enough and put his head to the grindstone ahead of this week.

Grace’s injury comes at a horrible time

The man from South Africa was right in the thick of it before his untimely departure from LIV Golf Bangkok due to injury. Grace entered the week 39 points behind Johnson in the season-long race and was primed to cut into the American’s deficit with a strong effort in Thailand. It is unknown how long the LIV Portland winner will be sidelined, but with his absence, Johnson’s grasp on the regular season trophy most certainly tightens.

Team standings

With Branden Grace’s WD, Stinger GC must use each team member’s score (3) in the final round.

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Leading shaft brand Fujikura has unveiled the latest additions to its popular VENTUS TR range of shafts, with the launch of the new VENTUS TR Red and VENTUS TR Black.

The extended VENTUS TR line up now features three launch profiles – mid-high, mid, and low – that are designed specifically to stiffen torque in the section of the shaft where golfers need it most, leading to increased stability and consistency.

While VeloCore Technology remains at the heart of all VENTUS TR products to provide an incredibly stable overall platform, an added layer of ultra-strong and ultra-lightweight ‘spread tow’ carbon fabric reinforces the mid/handle section to increase torsional stiffness. Each VENTUS TR profile provides similar feel to its original VENTUS counterpart, but with enhanced stiffness and reduced launch and spin.

Analytics carried out at Fujikura have shown one of the highest stress points of the shaft is the mid/handle section during the transition and downswing. Fujikura’s engineers targeted this specific section in VENTUS TR shafts to reduce twist and ovalisation, providing golfers maximum stability and consistency for straighter shots and improved mishits.

Talking about the new models, Spencer Reynolds, Fujikura Product and Brand Manager, said: “Any time we incorporate a new technology into a shaft offering, it’s always in the conversation to expand and integrate that technology into additional profiles. The immediate adoption, success, and performance gains we saw from VENTUS TR Blue led us to enhance the line with additional profiles.

“Expanding VENTUS TR offerings provides fitters more options in the VENTUS line to fit, and ultimately help a wider range of players improve the performance of their drivers and fairway woods. With six VENTUS profiles available with varying performance characteristics, the VENTUS line is truly firing on all cylinders.”

Launched in 2019, VENTUS has quickly become Fujikura’s best-selling shaft line. It was the most played driver and wood shaft during the 2020/21 PGA Tour Season and continues to be the most played in the 2021/22 season. In its first year on global Tours, VENTUS TR Blue has already been used by players in drivers and fairways to rack up an impressive number of wins, including The Players Championship, The Open Championship, The Senior Open Championship and multiple wins on the DP World Tour. The current No.2 ranked player in the world uses TR Blue in both his driver and 3-wood.

VENTUS TR Red and Black shafts are available in a wide variety of weights and flexes across all profiles; TR Red (R2-X flex, 59g– 89g), TR Black (S-X flex, 59g – 89). They will be available at retail later this month through authorised Fujikura dealers and select OEM custom programmes.

For more details, visit www.fujikuragolf.com/ventus-tr

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