Viktor Hovland rolled in a 7-foot birdie putt and then watched as Scottie Scheffler, the world’s No. 1 player, missed a 4-footer on the first playoff hole Monday to win the 2026 Travelers Championship in Cromwell.
It was Hovland’s first victory at the Travelers, held at the TPC River Highlands. The tournament featured a $20 million purse; Hovland’s share is $3.6 million.
Following the event’s dramatic finish, The Travelers Cos., Inc. announced that the tournament generated more than $5 million for more than 270 charities – both tournament records.
Since 2007, the Travelers Championship has generated more than $40 million for over 1,000 nonprofits in the region.
Scheffler, who won the 2024 tournament in a playoff, finished second for the fourth time this year. His only victory this year came in his first tournament, at the American Express in California in January.
His shocking miss on the 18th green — he had made a clutch 8-foot putt in fading light there on Sunday to force the playoff — topped off a remarkable comeback by Hovland to win the tournament.
The Norwegian, with soccer fans from his country here for the World Cup cheering him on, went into the final round Sunday with a one-shot lead over Scheffler, but posted four bogeys and just two birdies over the first 10 holes to fall behind.
He then birdied the 13th hole, only to have play interrupted for nearly 90 minutes as heavy rain moved into the area and halted play.
Once play resumed, Hovland also birdied the 14th and 15th holes to tie for the lead with Scheffler, one shot ahead of Collin Morikawa, who had finished his round earlier with a 9-under-par 61.
After both Hovland and Scheffler sank par putts on the 18th hole Sunday, PGA Tour officials ruled it was too dark to continue, setting up Monday’s playoff, which began at 9 a.m.
In an interview on WTIC-AM 1080 before the playoff Monday morning, Nathan Grube, executive director of the Travelers Championship, said officials decided to allow anyone who had a ticket to Sunday’s round to return for the playoff, but that no amenities would be available.
Grube also said tournament and PGA officials decided to not allow patrons who had returned to their vehicles during the rain Sunday to re-enter the course after the storm for safety reasons, which shrank the crowd for the final holes.
