‘My Pick to Win’: Last to Leave Practice, Viktor Hovland’s Unanswered Prayers Finds Admiration Amid PGA Championship Fans

Viktor Hovald is trying to get his old self back before he plays the 2024 PGA Championship. Six months ago, Hovland was the trending player on the PGA Tour and the exciting European star at the Ryder Cup. A few months down the line, however, Hovland’s run in the 2024 season has turned rather forgetful.

He has not scored a single top 10 in any of the events and at the 88th Masters, the Norwegian pro missed the cut after a carding 9 over 81 in the second round, his worst finish in any major. But things might change at Valhalla. The 6-time PGA Tour winner has been seen indulging in an intense practice session per Golf Magazine’s writer Sean Zak.

Hovland was accompanied by Swedish pro Alex Noren and the two would spend the evening before the PGA Championship honing their swings. Zack shared on X, how Hovland and Noren would play the balls until their “hands bleed” to get back their grooves and play better at the Valhalla. And how the game of golf was a “wicked sport” that could change a player’s successful run any second.

After sighting their favorite Norwegian pro hit the ball into infinity after his poor start on the PGA Tour, the golf fans loved Hovland’s attempts to revive his older form. The fans were sure that this time, the 6-time PGA Tour winner would not miss the cut or finish out of the top 10s.

Fans appreciate Viktor Hovland’s attempts to play better

Last year, Viktor Hovland won three times on the PGA Tour. His last victory on the men’s circuit was at the 2023 TOUR Championship, which was in August. It has been seven months since Hovland won on the PGA Tour or even came close to contention. But after seeing him play tirelessly before the 2024 PGA Championship, this fan exclaimed that Hovland was the 2024 winner. They said, “Hovland is my pick to win!”

Hovland is not the only golfer, who has been struggling to do wonders on the greens. Joining him, Alex Noren has also faced his fair share of battles to overcome this year. The two Scandinavian pros endlessly playing together to find their forms back were appreciated and clapped by this fan. They exclaimed, “The Swede and the Norwegian are never leaving Valhalla!” 

Hovland has gone through massive change this year. In early 2024, the Norwegian pro parted ways with his short-game coach Joeseph Mayo. The two had won many games together including the three in 2024 and since then, the 26-year-old has been trying things out to get his swagger back. This fan fave their analysis on Hovland and Noren’s current form and if they could win this week. The prediction was negative as they explained, “Victor is working things out… he doesn’t play unless he has to when he goes through swing changes. These last two weeks he has to play. I wouldn’t bet on him this week. Noren on the other hand is just grooving it. Dude is ready… not sure he has the what it takes this week tho.”

It was not the case for Hovland to scrap the bottom of the leaderboard. After all, he was once compared with Brooks Koepka and expected to give him a tough run at the 2023 PGA Championship. And as apparent, things haven’t turned out pretty well for Hovland. However, seeing him work his tail off, this user hoped that he would eventually find his groove and game back. They tweeted, “Noren is biggest grinder on tour. Hovland is obviously searching. Hope he finds his groove soon. Fun player to watch on leaderboard.” 

A reality check amidst the encouragement from most in the golf world, this fan made a saddening prediction about why Hovland was pursuing to drudge through the range session for hours. They claimed he wanted to show his attempts amidst the poor run and would miss the cut at the PGA Championship, regardless. The user claimed, “This looks like a guy who’s about to miss the cut badly and wants to show that he’s at least trying. Hope I’m wrong.”

Will Viktor Hovland’s practice help him to counter all the best players of the PGA Tour and LIV Golf at the PGA Championship to end his awry run at the PGA Tour? It remains to be seen.