Norway’s Viktor Hovland made a putt from about 10 feet on the first playoff hole for birdie and became the Travelers Championship winner when World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler missed on a short birdie attempt Monday morning at Cromwell, Conn.
Hovland won for the eighth time on the PGA Tour and for the first time this year.
“I had nothing to lose. I’ve been struggling this year,” Hovland said.
Hovland followed Scheffler’s near-perfect approach with one of his own. Scheffler drilled the approach within a few feet and appeared in prime position to win when the golfers made it to the green. His putt Monday was a repeat of his final shot of the fourth round at the 18th, but Scheffler was left of the hole. The putt traced the edge of the hole and continued past, handing Hovland the victory.
“We had it read just on top,” Scheffler said of the final putt Monday. “Obviously a little disappointed. The putt on 18 hurts a little bit. It was a speed putt. One you have to make.”
Scheffler said he struck the ball the best he has all year, especially with the irons, but comes away disappointed after entering the fourth round tied for second better in a sixth tournament this season but coming up short in another.
The two golfers returned to TPC River Highlands because it was considered too dark to begin the playoff Sunday night. The final round was delayed for nearly 90 minutes because of storms as the leaders were on the back nine.
Scheffler was bidding to notch his second victory of 2026 and the 21st of his PGA Tour career. Instead, he was runner-up for the fourth time this year.
Scheffler, who won the 2024 Travelers Championship, was without a birdie on No. 18 in the 2026 tournament.
Crowd estimates suggested about 2,000 spectators, including many clad in Norway kits, pulling for Hovland.
This was the final signature event on the PGA Tour this year, with eight different golfers winning those competitions.
Hovland led Scheffler by one stroke entering the final round. They ended up tied at 21-under 259 when play was complete Sunday.
Collin Morikawa, who shot 61 in the final round, finished third at 20 under.
England’s Matt Fitzpatrick (64) placed fourth at 19 under. Wyndham Clark (65), a week removed from winning the U.S. Open, and Akshay Bhatia (67) shared fifth place at 18 under.
J.J. Spaun (64), England’s Alex Fitzpatrick (64) and Canada’s Corey Conners (63) tied for seventh at 17 under.
After Morikawa, the second-best score of the day was a bogey-free 62 turned in by Denmark’s Nicolai Hojgaard. That allowed him to move to 14 under and tie for 14th place.
