An Unforgettable Year for Viktor Hovland
2023 has undoubtedly been a rollercoaster year for Norwegian golfer Viktor Hovland. In one of the most remarkable transformations in recent PGA Tour history, Hovland moved from relative obscurity to clinching some of the most prestigious titles in professional golf.
Hovland's journey this year was far from straightforward. Starting the season ranked 57th in the FedEx Cup standings as he entered the St. Jude Championship, few could have predicted the heights he would eventually reach. Remarkably, he completed three consecutive under-par rounds at the St. Jude Championship, marking the beginning of his ascent.
His performance continued to soar as he went on to achieve a sensational final-round 61 at the BMW Championship outside Chicago. The prodigious display of skill and poise didn't end there. In Atlanta, Hovland clinched the Tour Championship, cementing his place among golf's elite.
For Hovland, the postseason was a showcase of unrelenting consistency. His scoring average during this period was a stunning 66.17. Reflecting on his performance, he stated, "The things that I did in my swing that made me good, that made me able to predict a certain ball flight, I went home and tried to do a certain move – not necessarily because I had in mind that I wanted to change my pattern. I knew my pattern was really good, but I was upset that I wasn't cutting the ball as much as I would have liked."
However, it wasn't all smooth sailing for the young golfer. Despite his successes, Hovland faced significant challenges. His strokes gained approach numbers, which dropped to +0.46 per round, exposed cracks in his game. Moreover, ranking 175th out of 176 players on the PGA Tour in strokes gained around the green highlighted an area of vulnerability.
Hovland was candid about his struggles. "It's just not that fun to play golf when you don't know where the ball is going. I do pride myself in trying to make the best out of it, but it gets to a point where you kind of lose that belief – you just see a shot, and that's not good enough. I can try to grind my hardest. I can try to chip in from there. But you do that too often, too many times during the course of a round or a tournament, [and] it's too much to overcome. I feel like it's a waste of time for me to be playing golf if that's where I'm at; I'd rather be off the golf course and work on it, trying to figure out why I'm doing those things."
His victories were punctuated by a notable absence in the sports world – the absence of Lucas Glover from one of the week's tournaments. Hovland's path to dominance was thus marked not only by his skill but by the shifting dynamics within the sport.
Despite these hurdles, Viktor's work ethic and dedication to improvement were evident. He admitted to making significant adjustments during the offseason. "Then in the offseason I made a conscious effort to try to cut the ball more, and when I did that, I ruined a relationship that happens in my swing that makes it really difficult for me to control the face coming down. So now it's just kind of me learning from that. I know exactly why it happened. I know exactly what happens because I've gotten myself measured, and now it's just kind of a process of getting back to where I was. But at least I know I have all the data and the facts on the table to go about it."
These technical adjustments and strategic recalibrations paid off when Hovland delivered a sensational performance at the Ryder Cup in the fall, showcasing his grit and capability on an international stage. Despite having only one top-10 finish in the season and enduring the worst total strokes gained output of his career, his determination and skill saw him rise to the occasion when it mattered most.
Expressing his mindset amidst these fluctuating experiences, Hovland commented, "I'm not sure how long it's going to take for me to play my best golf. It might be this week. It might be next week. But at least now I'm on a path to progress. I'm on a path to improvement. Whereas before, one thing is playing bad, but you don't know why and you don't know how to fix it. That's very challenging mentally. But at least now we're – I might play terrible this week, but at least I feel like I'm on a path to improvement, and that's all that kind of matters for me."
In summary, Viktor Hovland's 2023 season is a testament to his resilience and commitment to mastering his craft. From battling technical issues to achieving career-defining victories and representing Europe in the Ryder Cup, Hovland has demonstrated that true champions are forged through both triumph and adversity.