Viktor Hovland is fully focused on finding ways to feel as comfortable as possible on the golf course, especially in competition. This week, he opens the season on the PGA Tour with the Phoenix Open, after finishing in the top 15 at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic of the DP World Tour. A good week, but not excessively brilliant, at least not up to what is expected of him.
Between adjustments, trying out one hundred drivers, and smoothing out rough edges with his 60-degree wedges, the Norwegian has had time to share his opinion on the returns of Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed (from August), undoubtedly the hot topic on the PGA Tour at the moment. When Hovland spoke this Tuesday, the news that LIV Golf would receive world ranking points had not yet been made official. Well, the Nordic has thrown the stone and hidden his hand. He has criticised the measure without criticising it. A textbook yes but no.
Hovland warns that the decisions made regarding Koepka and Reed could set a dangerous precedent. In his view, it could even trigger a domino effect. “It puts the Tour in a complicated position. You’ve said one thing for a long time and now we’re changing things. What precedent are you setting then for future players? If I can go to a rival tour, get paid, and now, apparently, come back again without major consequences,” he explains.
In other words, the first thing he does is put his finger on the sore spot, showing what is apparently negative about the decision, yet immediately afterwards he claims he can’t give an opinion. “I don’t really have an opinion on that, to be honest. That’s something the Tour has to sort out. I’m sure there are a lot of people who won’t be too happy about it, but at the end of the day, I just want to compete against the best players in the world. I’m at a point where I have to sort things out in my own game, and that’s basically where I’m focused. I don’t want to focus on what the Tour should be doing right now.”
Yes, but no. Textbook. He can understand that some people are upset, but he’s delighted because he wants to compete against the best. It’s a politically correct answer and, above all, it leaves all doors open. No one can criticise him for not questioning the measure, nor for not being pleased to have players like Koepka and Reed back. He can always say he thought both things.
He was asked directly if, knowing how the cases of Koepka and Reed would be resolved, he would have acted differently. That is, if he would have accepted a proposal from LIV in light of what is happening right now. Here he was blunt. “No, honestly. I see the news and say: ‘oh, how interesting,’ and then I go on with my day. I have things to do, things to sort out, so that’s about the amount of calories I spend reacting to things like that,” he states. Some will believe him, and some won’t…
What is beyond doubt is that Hovland is still technically tangled. More or less, but he always has something on his hands. Now it’s the driver’s turn. He’s trying several because he can’t quite find the one that best suits the adjustments he’s making to his swing. Specifically, he says his main mistake at the moment is a high ball that veers too far to the right, and he’s working on finding a club that helps when the bad shot comes, or at least doesn’t accentuate it. He’s on it. He also confessed that he’s still not completely comfortable with the 60º wedge.
In short, he doesn’t get out of one thing before getting into another… As if to start thinking about the future of world golf and forming his own opinion.
