‘Disgusting shots’ – Viktor Hovland wins $1.57m despite having ‘no control, no confidence’ but sounds Masters warning
Viktor Hovland is his own biggest critic. The Norwegian golfer ended an 18-month drought since his last PGA Tour win and took home $1.57 million at the Valspar Championship. GettyHovland secured a thrilling comeback triumph[/caption] His triumph came in a thrilling finale as he reeled in American Justin Thomas, who held a three-shot lead with three holes remaining in Sunday’s final round. Hovland shot a fine 67, including 3 birdies in a four-hole stretch from the 14th to seal his victory but admitted that he wasn’t certain he was even going to play as he was so frustrated with his form off the tee. “When you have no confidence and you don’t believe you’re going to play well that’s pretty tough,” the 27-year-old said. “It’s unbelievable to see that I could win. Because I honestly did not believe that I could do it this week. “I wasn’t even sure I was going to play or not until I got here Tuesday afternoon and played a late nine holes. I played nine holes in the pro-am the next morning and we were here ready to go.” Hovland shot 80 in the first round Players Championship — not ideal preparation for the Valspar. His driver has been the biggest issue and on a narrow, tree-lined course he leaned heavily on the irons in Florida. “I am still hitting a lot of disgusting shots,” he added after securing a seventh Tour triumph. “I just tried to go out there and play my game and I knew I didn’t feel super comfortable or confident. “But I was really patient and just tried to play really smart and I think that’s a credit kind of to myself this week is that I almost felt like I played this week like a veteran, like I’ve been out here for 20 years.” Thomas has 15 Tour wins since 2016 — only Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy has more with 17. That is despite a trophyless run dating back to the 2022 PGA Championship. GettyHovland relied on his irons to put him in contention[/caption] GettyHis driver remains an issue ahead of The Masters[/caption] After he hit his seventh birdie of the day on the 15th hole to take a three-shot lead over Hovland, that drought looked set to end. But the Snake Pit — the Copperhead course’s infamous three-hole final stretch — bit back. Thomas bogeyed on 16 and 18, Hovland birdied the first two and closed out victory despite carding one-over on the 18th. “I take a lot of good, way, way more than bad,” Thomas said. “It sucks not winning when you’re that close and have a great chance, but I just hopefully put myself in the same position at Augusta and finish it off better.” Despite coming out on top, Hovland seemed less certain of his chances at The Masters, where his best finish is a tie for seventh in 2023. Hovland sounded less certain. Was he looking at dark clouds or a silver lining? Recent Masters champions 2024: Scottie Scheffler -11 2023: Jon Rahn −12 2022: Scottie Scheffler −10 2021: Hideki Matsuyama −10 2020: Dustin Johnson -20 2019: Tiger Woods −13 2018: Patrick Reed −15 2017: Sergio Garcia −9 2016: Danny Willett −5 2015: Jordan Spieth −18 He admitted the win ‘definitely helps’ but knows he will need every tool in his bag on Augusta’s iconic fairways. “It’s like some of the shots that I’m hitting, it’s going to make it really difficult for me to be in contention at Augusta if I don’t rectify that problem,” the champion added. With McIlroy and Ludvig Aberg in form, as well as Hovland taking victory despite struggling with his game, there is a distinctly European flavor to the PGA Tour at the moment. In a Ryder Cup year, that is a big deal — especially as the Americans look to take back the trophy on home soil. Hovland’s victory has put him in a good position to make captain Luke Donald’s crew — it would be his third consecutive appearance. McIlroy currently occupies top spot in qualifying on 1,962.75 points, with Tyrrell Hatton (922.84 points), Rasmus Hojgaard (813.43 points), Shane Lowry (779.43 points) Aberg (650.13 points), and Thomas Detry (585.97 points) rounding out the automatic qualifiers.
Viktor Hovland is his own biggest critic.
The Norwegian golfer ended an 18-month drought since his last PGA Tour win and took home $1.57 million at the Valspar Championship.
His triumph came in a thrilling finale as he reeled in American Justin Thomas, who held a three-shot lead with three holes remaining in Sunday’s final round.
Hovland shot a fine 67, including 3 birdies in a four-hole stretch from the 14th to seal his victory but admitted that he wasn’t certain he was even going to play as he was so frustrated with his form off the tee.
“When you have no confidence and you don’t believe you’re going to play well that’s pretty tough,” the 27-year-old said.
“It’s unbelievable to see that I could win. Because I honestly did not believe that I could do it this week.
“I wasn’t even sure I was going to play or not until I got here Tuesday afternoon and played a late nine holes. I played nine holes in the pro-am the next morning and we were here ready to go.”
Hovland shot 80 in the first round Players Championship — not ideal preparation for the Valspar.
His driver has been the biggest issue and on a narrow, tree-lined course he leaned heavily on the irons in Florida.
“I am still hitting a lot of disgusting shots,” he added after securing a seventh Tour triumph. “I just tried to go out there and play my game and I knew I didn’t feel super comfortable or confident.
“But I was really patient and just tried to play really smart and I think that’s a credit kind of to myself this week is that I almost felt like I played this week like a veteran, like I’ve been out here for 20 years.”
Thomas has 15 Tour wins since 2016 — only Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy has more with 17. That is despite a trophyless run dating back to the 2022 PGA Championship.
After he hit his seventh birdie of the day on the 15th hole to take a three-shot lead over Hovland, that drought looked set to end.
But the Snake Pit — the Copperhead course’s infamous three-hole final stretch — bit back.
Thomas bogeyed on 16 and 18, Hovland birdied the first two and closed out victory despite carding one-over on the 18th.
“I take a lot of good, way, way more than bad,” Thomas said. “It sucks not winning when you’re that close and have a great chance, but I just hopefully put myself in the same position at Augusta and finish it off better.”
Despite coming out on top, Hovland seemed less certain of his chances at The Masters, where his best finish is a tie for seventh in 2023.
Hovland sounded less certain. Was he looking at dark clouds or a silver lining?
Recent Masters champions
2024: Scottie Scheffler -11
2023: Jon Rahn −12
2022: Scottie Scheffler −10
2021: Hideki Matsuyama −10
2020: Dustin Johnson -20
2019: Tiger Woods −13
2018: Patrick Reed −15
2017: Sergio Garcia −9
2016: Danny Willett −5
2015: Jordan Spieth −18
He admitted the win ‘definitely helps’ but knows he will need every tool in his bag on Augusta’s iconic fairways.
“It’s like some of the shots that I’m hitting, it’s going to make it really difficult for me to be in contention at Augusta if I don’t rectify that problem,” the champion added.
With McIlroy and Ludvig Aberg in form, as well as Hovland taking victory despite struggling with his game, there is a distinctly European flavor to the PGA Tour at the moment.
In a Ryder Cup year, that is a big deal — especially as the Americans look to take back the trophy on home soil.
Hovland’s victory has put him in a good position to make captain Luke Donald’s crew — it would be his third consecutive appearance.
McIlroy currently occupies top spot in qualifying on 1,962.75 points, with Tyrrell Hatton (922.84 points), Rasmus Hojgaard (813.43 points), Shane Lowry (779.43 points) Aberg (650.13 points), and Thomas Detry (585.97 points) rounding out the automatic qualifiers.
