NASSAU, Bahamas (AP) Viktor Hovland rode back-to-back eagles and finished with back-to-back bogeys while overcoming a six-stroke deficit to win the Hero World Challenge on Sunday and prevent Collin Morikawa from reaching world number 1.

This final round of the year was so crazy for the golfing elite that Morikawa, who started the day with a five-stroke lead, wasn’t even a factor in the last hour at Albany Golf Club.

Hovland closed with a 6-under-66 in his debut in a holiday event filled with sheer chaos involving eagles and triple bogeys, none more bizarre than Jordan Spieth hitting his drive on the ninth hole of what was a new 17th tee for the final round.

Ultimately, this was another 24-year-old star in the making, adding to a big year. It just wasn’t the one so many people expected.

Morikawa, the British Open champion and the first American to be No.1 on the European Tour, missed three birdie chances from 10 feet or closer at the start of the round, then went sideways with two shots in the bushes at the n ° 4 and 6 this led to double bogeys and a 41 on the first nine.

He finished with a 76 and was fifth. A win would have made him the 25th player to reach No. 1 in the world since the rankings began in 1986. It still belongs to US Open champion Jon Rahm, who has not played this week.

Scottie Scheffler started seven strokes behind, made a triple bogey on the fourth hole, and consistently rallied for a 66 to finish one stroke behind.

GOLF TOUR IN JAPAN

TOKYO (AP) – Hideto Tanihara closed with a 1-under-69 to end the double season on the Japan Golf Tour with a two-stroke victory over Yusaku Miyazato in the Golf Nippon Series JT Cup.

Tanihara won for the second time in three weeks, giving him 16 career titles in Japan.

Takumi Kanaya, the former World No.1 amateur, birdied the 18th hole to finish alone in the third. The result should be enough to allow him to finish the year 50th in the world and secure a place in the Masters.

That would give a place to three former Asia-Pacific amateur champions at Augusta National, as well as Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama and top-ranked amateur Keita Nakajima.

Chan Kim, who played for Arizona State, won the Order of Merit which was determined during the 2020 and 2021 seasons due to the pandemic.

OTHER CIRCUITS

Daniel van Tonder birdied the closing hole par 5 for a 7-under-65 and a one-stroke victory over Oliver Bekker at the South African Open. Bekker birdieed his last three holes for a 66 at Gary Player Country Club. … Jorge Fernandez Valdes shot 2-under-70 for a three-stroke win at the Argentine Open, earning a berth at the British Open in St. Andrews next summer. … Phachara Khongwatmai of Thailand clocked a 12-foot par on the last hole for a par 70 and a one-stroke victory in the Laguna Phuket Championship for his first victory on the Asian Tour.

–

More AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf and https://twitter.com/AP-Sports