2023 has certainly been a whirlwind year for Norwegian golfer Viktor Hovland. This season, Hovland's performance on the PGA Tour has seen remarkable highs and challenging lows, ultimately defining his year as one of transformation and resilience.
Climbing to Glory
One of the crowning achievements of Hovland's season was clinching the prestigious FedEx Cup Playoffs title. Demonstrating his prowess, he completed three consecutive under-par rounds at the St. Jude Championship, setting the tone for his spectacular run. His impressive final-round 61 at the BMW Championship outside Chicago further cemented his status as a formidable competitor.
The culmination of his efforts came with his victory at the Tour Championship in Atlanta, where he closed the postseason with a remarkable scoring average of 66.17. This series of triumphs has positioned Viktor Hovland as one of the top golfers to watch, showcasing his ability to thrive under pressure and excel in the most critical moments.
Ryder Cup Brilliance
In the fall, Hovland continued to amaze with a sensational performance at the Ryder Cup. Representing Europe, he brought his A-game and delivered a standout showing that left fans and analysts in awe. His consistency and skill on the greens were evident, adding another feather to his cap in what has been a quite eventful year.
Recovering from Setbacks
Despite these successes, Hovland's journey wasn't without its hurdles. Entering the St. Jude Championship, he was ranked 57th in the FedEx Cup standings, a far cry from the top positions he now occupies. Lucas Glover's absence from the week's tournament may have shifted some dynamics, but it was Hovland's own determination and focus that spurred his ascent.
Notably, Hovland experienced significant struggles with his performance around the green. He had the worst total strokes gained output of his career, ranking 175th out of 176 players on the PGA Tour in strokes gained around the green. Moreover, his strokes gained approach numbers fell to +0.46 per round, contrasting sharply with his impressive results in other areas.
Reflecting on these challenges, Hovland candidly shared, "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."
He elaborated on the adjustments he made during the offseason, noting, "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."
The Mental Battle
The meticulous process of refining his technique has been both a mental and physical endeavor for Hovland. He admitted, "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."
For a golfer of Hovland's caliber, doubt and inconsistency were difficult pills to swallow. "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," he continued.
On the Path to Improvement
Despite the setbacks, Hovland remains optimistic about his future. He expressed confidence in the steps he's taking to improve his game, stating, "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."
He emphasized the importance of understanding and addressing the issues at hand, saying, "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."
As Viktor Hovland continues to navigate the challenges and triumphs of professional golf, his journey remains a testament to resilience, persistence, and the unwavering pursuit of excellence. The 2023 season has been a defining one for Hovland, and it seems clear that his best years on the PGA Tour are still ahead.