Scottie Scheffler and Viktor Hovland are tied at 21-under 259 and will return to TPC River Highlands on Monday morning for a sudden-death playoff to decide the Travelers Championship. The playoff is set for 9 a.m. ET on the par-4 18th hole, repeated if necessary, after tournament officials determined there was not enough daylight Sunday evening to begin extra holes.
Scheffler forced the playoff with an 8-foot par putt on the 18th, pumping his fist as dusk settled over Cromwell, Connecticut. Both players had birdie chances to win outright. Scheffler ran a 30-foot putt 8 feet past the hole, while Hovland’s 25-foot attempt missed by inches. Hovland tapped in for a 69; Scheffler converted the comeback par for a 68.
“It’s more fun when you’re making the ones to win,” Scheffler said. “But to keep yourself in it is also nice. I live another day.”
Back-Nine Swings
Hovland held a one-shot lead entering the final round but fell two behind before storms suspended play at 5:57 p.m. with both players in the 14th fairway. The delay lasted 1 hour, 23 minutes. When play resumed, Hovland found a different gear, pouring in a 15-foot birdie putt.
Scheffler, meanwhile, leaned on par saves to stay alive. On the reachable par-4 15th, his pitch from the collar of wet rough raced over the back of the green and down a slope. He chipped back on and converted another clutch putt. A 10-foot birdie attempt on the 17th spun off the left edge, leaving Scheffler to grind out the par on 18 that extended the tournament another day.
Hovland credited the weather break with settling him down. “I hit some good shots and then some bad shots and I just couldn’t quite get a flow in,” he said. “So it was nice to just get completely off the golf course and reset.”
Morikawa’s 61 Falls One Short
Collin Morikawa posted the round of the day, a 9-under 61 that tied his career low and briefly put him in a share of the lead at 20-under. He started the day nine shots back and made nine birdies, including a shot from a greenside bunker on 18 to inside 10 feet for the final one. He finished one shot behind the playoff pair.
Matt Fitzpatrick closed with a 64 to finish alone in fourth at 19-under. US Open champion Wyndham Clark, playing just a week after his major victory at Shinnecock Hills, shot 65 to tie for fifth at 18-under, his charge stalled by a tee shot into the water for bogey on the 17th.
Monday’s Stakes
The unscheduled Monday finish is the first on the PGA Tour since the 2025 Players Championship and the 26th playoff in Travelers Championship history, the first since Scheffler defeated Tom Kim at this event in 2024.
Scheffler, the world No. 1 and FedExCup leader, is chasing his 21st PGA Tour victory at age 30. His playoff record stands at 2-2. Hovland, 28, is seeking his eighth title and arrives with a career-best 72-hole score. He is 1-0 in PGA Tour playoffs.

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