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Prospects of a first European winner at the US PGA since McIlroy won the last of his four majors at this Louisville course a decade ago were high after a stellar Saturday.
Hovland has been far from the player he appeared last autumn when he won twice and starred at the Ryder Cup.
He missed the cut at last month’s Masters but he has linked back up with his former coach, and at Valhalla, named after the home of the Norse gods, he came close to providing Norway with a first major champion.
Given he now boasts four top-10 finishes at majors, he may have just inherited Schauffele’s previous title of best player to have not won one of these titles.
As for Rose, bogeys on 17 and 18 blotted an otherwise excellent round. Like Hovland, it has not been a pretty 2024 for the 43-year-old, but a top-six finish proved once again he can still compete at the highest level.
Sadly for Lowry and MacIntyre, at a golf course where Team Europe surrendered the Ryder Cup in 2008, they were unable to find the birdies required to threaten the lead.
Meanwhile, pre-tournament favourites Scheffler and McIlroy started Sunday too far back to challenge.
It had been an unusual build-up to the championship with news dropping in the run-up of McIlroy’s impending divorce, while Scheffler was returning from taking some time off to be with his wife Meredith who gave birth to their first child on 8 May.
After a strong opening round, Scheffler was then arrested and charged with second-degree assault of a police officer on Friday morning.
Ultimately, wayward displays on Saturday cost them a shot at the title, as Scheffler shot over par for the first time in 2024 and McIlroy’s putter deserted him.
World number one Scheffler looked back to his normal self in an outstanding final round that included seven birdies, while McIlroy again flirted with ascending the leaderboard only to find the water twice on the back nine.
His quest for a first major in 10 years will recommence in four weeks at the US Open at Pinehurst.
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