Hoblan Comeback Victory "Taekwondo Power~"... 'Number 3' Thomas Tied for 12th Place

Mayakoba Golf Classic Final Day 6-Under Par '1-Stroke Victory', Wise 2nd, Korea's Kang Sung-hoon Tied 37th

Viktor Hovland is cheering at the moment his victory is confirmed on the 18th hole of the final day at the Mayakoba Golf Classic. Playa (Mexico) = Getty Images / Multivitz

[Asia Economy Golf Specialist Reporter Kim Hyun-joon] "Taekwondo Power."

'Norway's first PGA champion' Viktor Hovland secured his first win of the 2020/2021 season early. On the 7th (Korean time) at the Playa El Camaleon Golf Club in Mexico (par 71, 7,039 yards), he fired a 6-under-par final round to complete a thrilling come-from-behind victory at the Mayakoba Golf Classic (total prize money $7.2 million) with a 20-under-par 264. The winner's prize was $1,296,000 (1.4 billion KRW). Aaron Wise (USA) finished second, one stroke behind at 19-under-par 265.

Hovland is the player who caused a sensation by setting the lowest amateur score in 59 years (4-under-par 280) at the third major, the US Open, last June. After turning professional, he secured his card on the Korn Ferry (second-tier) Tour and immediately won the Puerto Rico Open last February. Born in September 1997, he is a young gun at just 23 years old. Standing 178 cm tall and weighing 88 kg, he has an impressive physique and, above all, remarkable consistency.

For domestic fans, it is interesting that he is a Taekwondo black belt. He trained for 7 years as a child to earn his black belt. Hovland himself proudly said, "Taekwondo helped strengthen my mental toughness." He lived in Oslo, the capital of Norway, where winters are long and harsh with heavy snowfall. Golf is only possible for five months from early May to early October. He honed his skills at an indoor practice facility and entered Oklahoma State University in the US in 2016, later winning the US Amateur Championship in 2018, which is remarkable.

Hovland notably finished as the top amateur in both last year's Masters and US Open, the first to do so in 20 years since Matt Kuchar (USA) in 1998. Starting the final day tied for third place, two strokes behind, he recorded seven birdies and one bogey. Three consecutive birdies from holes 2 to 4 put him into the winner's contention, and a birdie on the 6th hole (par 4) propelled him to the top of the leaderboard. A bogey on the 12th hole (par 4) was recovered with back-to-back birdies on the 13th and 14th holes, and he sealed the victory with a birdie on the final 18th hole (par 4).

Defending champion Brendan Todd (USA) stopped his bid for a 'second consecutive win' at a tie for 8th place (15-under-par 269), while world number 3 Justin Thomas (USA) finished tied for 12th (14-under-par 270). From Korea, Kang Sung-hoon (33, CJ Logistics) shot 4 under to finish 37th (8-under-par 276), 'Tank' Choi Kyung-ju (50, SK Telecom) tied for 46th (5-under-par 279), and Lee Kyung-hoon (29) tied for 59th (3-under-par 281). The PGA Tour has entered its winter break and will resume on January 7 next year at the Sentry Tournament.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.