Despite an incredible final round in the 2023 Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club down in Atlanta, Xander Schauffele simply did not have enough gas in the tank to overcome Viktor Hovland on Sunday. Nevertheless, finishing second despite starting the event at three under was an exceptional feat for Schauffele, who fired a 62 in the fourth round.

Hovland started the Tour Championship eight under, but he did not rely on that cushion entirely to carry him to the top. He played great golf from start to finish that even if the starting strokes format were removed across the board, he still would end up on top — albeit sharing the lead with Schauffele as both had raw scores of 19-under.

“I thought 62 would have let me get close to him, but I think the closest I got to was three shots back,” Schauffele said after finishing second (h/t Jay Coffin of Golf Digest). “He played unbelievably well. He made important putts and he’s just played like a champ.”

Article Continues Below
More Golf News
Scottie Scheffler holds the trophy on hole No. 18 after the final round of the Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village Golf Course on Sunday, June 1, 2025 in Dublin, Ohio.
Wife’s support has Scottie Scheffler choking up after Memorial Tour winNathan Yasis ·
Maja Stark tees off the 1st hole during the final round of the U.S. Women's Open golf tournament.
Maja Stark fends off Nelly Korda charge to take US Women’s OpenChristopher Hennessy ·
Scottie Scheffler tees off on two during the final round of the Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village Golf Club
Scottie Scheffler joins Tiger Woods again after win at The MemorialChristopher Hennessy ·
Justin Rose hits his second shot on 18 during the first round of the Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin
PGA Tour star shaves off 10 strokes at Memorial into contentionKendall Capps ·
Scottie Scheffler reacts after making his putt on the 14th green during the second round of the Memorial Tournament
Scottie Scheffler has hilarious Mavericks thought at The MemorialKendall Capps ·
Charlie Woods lines up a putt on No. 10 green during the final round of the Junior Invitational at Sage Valley Golf Club
Tiger Woods’ son, Charlie Woods, lights up golf world with 1st winKendall Capps ·

Hovland, indeed, fared great at East Lake. He never shot worse than a 68 in any round and concluded his campaign with a 63 in the fourth round to still finish five strokes ahead of everyone in the tournament. Xander Schauffele did everything he could, and he will just have to be content with that thought. He also came away with $6.5 million in winnings for finishing second, so it was not too shabby of a day for the 29-year-old pro from California.

Wyndham Clark finished third and Rory McIlroy was fourth. Patrick Cantlay rounded out the top five with a solo fifth-place finish.