Viktor Hovland takes control of Hero World Challenge, Scottie Scheffler in pursuit with world No. 1 spot his aim

Viktor Hovland extended his lead at the Hero World Challenge to three shots over Scottie Scheffler.

Scheffler has the incentive of knowing a win at Albany on Sunday would take him back above Rory McIlroy to the top of the world rankings.

But the Masters winner has a battle on his hands, after defending champion Hovland produced his most impressive round of the week so far.

There were a couple of errors on Saturday, one on the 18th to give the chasing pack hope, but there were more passages of brilliant play in a round of 64.

Hovland made four birdies on the outward nine, but he wrestled total control of the tournament on the back nine with a run of six birdies in seven holes.

Third round Leaderboard

• 1. Viktor Hovland, 13-under
• 2. Scottie Scheffler, 10-under
• T3. Justin Thomas, eight-under
• T3. Cameron Young, eight-under
• T5. Collin Morikawa, seven-under
• T5. Xander Schauffele, seven-under

Hovland was delighted with how he putted on a day when low scoring was possible due to the wind not blowing.

“I missed a 10-footer on the first hole and thought, ‘here we go again,’” Hovland said. “But after that a lot of putts went in. You need that on a day like today when the wind is down and you can be aggressive. It was a lot of fun.

“I had a great start. After the bogey on six, I was able to get back into it and three-under through nine is good.”

Hovland is likely to play aggressive on Sunday, as he said: “A lot can happen, we are playing the ball down and can get mud balls, and if you get a lost ball and someone shoots eight-under, you can play reasonable, shoot a couple-under and still get beat so I have to do what I did today.”

Hovland feels Albany plays to his strengths, as he said: “It is a great golf course.

“You have to be a good driver of the ball, it usually blows and you have to flight the ball down and that is usually my go-to shot.”

Scheffler has been trending in the right direction all week, and added a 66 to his 72 and 68 to get into the final group – albeit three adrift of Hovland.

If a player is to emerge from the pack it is likely to be Justin Thomas.

He was the only player to go bogey-free in brutal conditions on Friday, and added a 66 in the third round to sit five adrift of Hovland.

Kevin Kisner had the moment of the day with a hole-in-one on the 12th, but he is well off the pace at seven-over.