'The best round I’ve ever played'

1. Viktor goes low

Viktor Hovland shot a course record 61 at Olympia Fields on Sunday to capture the BMW Championship — his fifth PGA tour victory.

Why it matters: Winning the second leg of the FedEx Cup playoffs adds to an already impressive year for the 25-year-old Norwegian, who finished T3 at the Players Championship, T2 at the PGA Championship, and 1st at Jack’s tournament — the Memorial — in June.

What he’s saying: “It definitely has to be the best round I’ve ever played,” he told CBS’ Amanda Renner on Sunday.

• Hovland’s nine-under 61 — a career low — included a back-nine 28 and a birdie-birdie finish on the course’s two hardest holes to overtake the tournament’s late leader, Scottie Scheffler.

Scary stat: If Hovland and his playing partner Rory McIllroy played a better-ball format on Sunday, the two would have shot a 58 (and a 26 on the back nine), CBS’ Kyle Porter noted.

• That’s good news for the Europeans and cause for concern for the Americans ahead of next month’s Ryder Cup in Rome.

2. Putting woes continue for Scottie

The world’s top ranked golfer Scottie Scheffler continued his head-scratching play on Sunday. That is, incredible ball striking coupled with an ice cold putter.

What happened: Scheffler had a one-shot lead heading into the par-5 15th, where he failed to go up-and-down from 20 yards, missing a 13-foot putt for birdie.

• He then missed a six-footer for birdie on 16 and three putted 17 for bogey, putting him two shots behind Hovland with one hole to play.

By the numbers: Scheffler gained 3.41 strokes on Sunday with his approach shots (the best in the field), but lost 1.44 strokes with his putter, according to Data Golf.

• Hovland, meanwhile, gained 3.02 strokes with his flat stick in the final round.

Nick’s thoughts: It’s crazy to see Scheffler (with his Scheffler Shuffle) continue to crush the ball off the tee, stuff his approach shots, and struggle so hard with the putter.

• It’s even wilder that — through it all — he continues to hang on to his number one ranking in the world.

3. 💰BMW Championship payouts

1. Viktor Hovland – $3,600,000

T2. Matt Fitzpatrick – $1,760,000

T2. Scottie Scheffler – $1,760,000

4. Rory McIlroy — $990,000

T5. Brian Harman — $790,000

T5. Max Homa —- $790,000

4. Last in / First out

Next week’s Tour Championship only includes the top 30 players in the FedEx Cup standings.

• That means for 20 players, the BMW was their final tournament of the season.

The last three players who earned their way to Atlanta’s East Lake Golf Club include:

• 28: Tyrrell Hatton (who thought he threw away his chances with his bogey-bogey finish)

• 29: Jordan Speith (whose reaction is also priceless)

• 30: Sepp Straka

The first three out of the Tour Championship include:

• 31: Sahith Theegala

• 32: Chris Kirk

• 33: Denny McCarthy

Complete FedEx point standings here.

5. US Ryder Cup team takes (some) shape

The conclusion of the BMW on Sunday also concluded Ryder Cup point opportunities for the American side.

That means, the six players that automatically qualify for the US team include:

• Scottie Scheffler

• Wyndham Clark

• Brian Harman

• Patrick Cantlay

• Max Homa

• Xander Schauffele

The next six on the list (who aren’t guaranteed a spot) include:

• Brooks Koepka

• Jordan Speith

• Cameron Young

• Collin Morikawa

• Keegan Bradely

• Sam Burns

The intrigue: Koepka, the only player in the top 12 who plays on the LIV tour, slipped outside the automatic bids on Sunday.

• Will US Captain Zach Johnson still save Koepka a spot despite his move to LIV?

Other players who could make it to Rome:

• Rickie Fowler (13), who played consistently well all season.

• Justin Thomas (15), who struggled this year, but has been a staple on recent Ryder Cup teams.

• Lucas Glover (16), who won two weeks in-a-row prior to the BMW.

What to watch: Zach Johnson will make his six selections on August 29.

Complete Ryder Cup standings here.

6. Dunlap makes history in Denver

Nineteen year-old Nick Dunlap won the US Amateur on Sunday at Cherry Hills Country Club, defeating Neal Shipley 4-and-3.

Why it matters: Dunlap, a University of Alabama sophomore, became just the second player ever to win both the US Am and US Junior Am.

• The other player — Tiger Woods, who, incredibly, won the US Junior Am in 1991, ‘92, and ‘93 and the US Am in ‘94, ‘95, and ‘96.

Yes, but: Dunlap’s week — which included taking down the world’s top ranked amateur Gordon Sargent in the round of 64 — didn’t start so sweet.

• According to Golf Channel’s Brentley Romine, Dunlap played a wrong ball on his third hole and four-putted his fifth hole. After five holes, he was seven over par.

• Then, on the 8th hole, his caddy wrote him a note on his yardage book: “This can be an AMAZING story if you let go and LET IT HAPPEN!!!”

Apparently, that worked.

7. 🏌️‍♂️Shot of the week: Shipley sends it

Ohio State’s Neal Shipley might have lost on Sunday, but he captured the golf world’s attention in Saturday’s semifinals with his match clinching shot.

8. ❌ Bogey of the week: Homa heckled

On Saturday, a fan at the Chicago-area BMW Championship yelled “pull it” as Max Homa putted a five-footer for birdie on 17. Apparently, the fan bet $3 that Homa would miss.

• Instead, he drained it.

9. 📸 Photo for the road: So long, Chicago.

Onwards to Atlanta.