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• Viktor Hovland edges out Denny McCarthy in play-off to win Memorial Tournament

  Viktor Hovland defeated Denny McCarthy in a play-off to win the Memorial Tournament as Rory McIlroy suffered a disappointing final round in Ohio.

  Hovland parred the first extra hole at Muirfield Village to win his fourth PGA Tour title after he and McCarthy had finished tied on seven under par.

  The 25-year-old Norwegian had birdied the 15th and 17th to set the clubhouse target following a closing 70 and then saw McCarthy drop his first shot of the day on the 18th.

  McCarthy then bogeyed the same hole in the play-off to miss out on a maiden PGA Tour win.

  Hovland, who finished runner-up to Brooks Koepka in the US PGA Championship after a costly double bogey on the 16th hole of the final round, told CBS: “It feels even better after a few close calls the last few months.

  “I didn’t really feel like I hit it my best the whole week, I just played really smart, played conservatively, really relied on my short game and I putted awesome this week.

  “It’s fun to win one of these things without just ball-striking it to death. Now I can kind of rely on some other strengths as well.”

  Hovland and McCarthy finished a shot ahead of world number one Scottie Scheffler, who surged through the field with a closing 67, despite ranking dead last in putting of those players who made the cut.

  McIlroy began the day in a tie for the lead and was out in front when he chipped in for birdie on the fourth, but bogeyed three of the next four holes on his way to a 75 and a tie for seventh on three under par.

  “I did what I wanted to do,” McIlroy said. “I thought if I could stay patient and put my ball in play off the tee, which I did pretty much all day, I only hit it in the long rough once…

  “I was in the first cut three times and then the rest of the time I was in the fairway. So I did what I wanted to do, I just missed a few shots and those two bogeys on the par fives on the front nine were unforced errors.

  “Once I was one over through nine holes and Denny was at eight under for the tournament, it’s hard to chase on that golf course the way it’s playing.

  “I hit a couple of loose shots on the back nine that at least I know where they’re coming from, which is good, but it’s a step in the right direction.

  “I feel a little better about everything compared to where I was a couple weeks ago at Oak Hill. So it’s obviously not the result that I wanted today, but I feel like there was a few more positives than there was a couple weeks ago.”

  Two-time major winner Collin Morikawa, who was two off the lead heading into the final round, withdrew shortly before his tee time after suffering back spasms.

  “We were doing some reflex stuff, trying to reach down and try to pick something up like quick and low,” Morikawa explained.

  “I’ve hurt may back briefly before, but nothing has been this bad. I think it’s the first tournament I’ve ever withdrawn from in my entire life. It sucks because this is a tournament that I love.

  “I’ve played well and put myself in contention. But I have to look out for myself and got to be smart.”

• Northern Ireland’s Tom McKibbin wins first DP World Tour title after fine finish

  Northern Ireland’s Tom McKibbin produced a stunning approach to the final hole to seal his maiden DP World Tour title in style in the Porsche European Open.

  McKibbin carded a final round of 70 in Hamburg to finish nine under par, two shots ahead of home favourites Marcel Siem and Max Kieffer and France’s Julien Guerrier.

  The 20-year-old, who learned the game at the same club as four-time major winner Rory McIlroy, began the day in a six-way tie for the lead but birdied the fourth, seventh and ninth to move two shots clear.

  Bogeys on the 11th and 13th, coupled with Kieffer’s birdie on the 16th, saw the pair tied at the top of the leaderboard, but McKibbin edged back in front with a birdie on the 15th and set up another on the par-five 18th with a nerveless second shot from 203 yards.

  McKibbin, who graduated from the Challenge Tour last year and was making just his 26th start on the DP World Tour, told Sky Sports: “It’s pretty amazing.

  “It was just nice to go out there and put a really, really nice round together. I always thought I was good enough to win but to prove it today was pretty special.

  “I’ve learned a lot from failures, missing cuts by a shot, missing things very slightly so to take all those things I’ve learned and put them into play today was really nice.

  “It probably won’t sink in until tomorrow but to have my dad here – he comes most weeks – is pretty special. To win in front of him is amazing.”

  Asked about his second shot to the 18th, McKibbin added: “It’s probably one of the best shots I’ve hit.

  “It was sort of tricky and it wasn’t. I was trying to hit just at the right edge of the green and if it turned over I knew the water wasn’t in play because if I turned it over it would have went further.

  “It looked really good on camera I’m sure, but it was an easier shot than laying up and hitting over the water I thought.”

• Rory McIlroy soars to lead on third day of Ohio Memorial

  Rory McIlroy has moved to the lead in the Memorial despite going five holes without hitting a green, finishing the third day tied in first place with Si Woo Kim and David Lipsky at Muirfield Village on Saturday.

  McIlroy did what he had to do while players around him struggled, finishing the day with two under par with four birdies and two bogeys.

  “That’s what happens when conditions are like this,” McIlroy said after the day’s play. “You just have to hang on.

  “I was really happy with how I scored out there, and how I just sort of hung in there for most of the day.”

  The birdies came in good time for McIlroy, picking up three on the last seven holes, and finishing the day with a par, unlike he did on day one, when he hit a triple bogey on the 18th hole.

  “It would mean a ton to me to win this tournament, I’ve played pretty well here over the years without really having a realistic chance to win,” McIlroy said.

  “So to be able to walk up that hill from 18 and get that handshake from Jack (Nicklaus) would be pretty nice.”

  McIlroy, now on six under par, will need to maintain his form into the last day with a log-jam of talent at the top of the leaderboard, with thirteen players separated by just two shots and nine others within three shots.

  Friday’s leader and former Memorial winner, Hideki Matsuyama dropped dramatically in consistency, putting him in tied ninth place.

  Matsuyama had five bogeys during the day and a triple bogey on the 12th hole.

  Englishmen Danny Willet and Matt Fitzpatrick both had solid days with 69 and 70 respectively, finishing tied in 23rd place on two under par.