2023 has been a remarkable year for Norwegian golfer Viktor Hovland. Despite the tumultuous ride, Hovland has managed to capture significant victories, demonstrating both resilience and talent.
Early in the season, Hovland's struggles were evident. Entering the St. Jude Championship, he was ranked 57th in the FedEx Cup standings, having suffered the worst total strokes gained output of his career. His performance was far from stellar, with his strokes gained approach numbers falling to +0.46 per round and ranking 175th out of 176 players on the PGA Tour in strokes gained around the green. Moreover, he had just one top-10 finish to his name. These statistics painted a bleak picture for the young golfer.
However, Hovland's fortunes began to change during the FedEx Cup Playoffs. At the St. Jude Championship, he posted three consecutive under-par rounds, a precursor to what was to come. His performance peaked at the BMW Championship outside Chicago, where he delivered a sensational final-round 61. This incredible round propelled him towards victory and set the stage for his success at the Tour Championship in Atlanta, where he ultimately clinched the FedEx Cup title.
Hovland's postseason scoring average was an impressive 66.17, which underscores the dramatic turnaround in his form. Such a remarkable performance caught the attention of golf enthusiasts worldwide, not just for its brilliance but for the resilience it demonstrated.
Reflecting on his journey, Hovland shared insights into the challenges he faced and the adjustments he had to make. "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," Hovland explained. His post-playoff reflections reveal a thoughtful golfer keenly aware of his game's intricacies.
"Then in the offseason I made a conscious effort to try to cut the ball more," he continued. "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."
Hovland's candid admission about the challenges of not knowing where the ball would go exhibits the mental strain professional athletes often endure. "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."
Importantly, Hovland has emerged from this experience with a renewed sense of direction and optimism. "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."
Hovland's resurgence was further demonstrated by his performance at the Ryder Cup in the fall, adding another highlight to his season. While Lucas Glover was notably absent from that week’s tournament, it did little to overshadow Hovland's exceptional play.
In conclusion, Viktor Hovland’s 2023 season serves as a testament to the perseverance and adaptability required at the highest levels of sport. Despite encountering significant lows and technical difficulties, his ability to analyze, adjust, and ultimately conquer shines through. His story offers a multifaceted view of the pressures and triumphs inherent in professional golf, reflecting both the challenges faced and the tenacity required to excel.