PGA Tour News: Viktor Hovland Withdraws From the WM Phoenix Open in Upsetting Move

Viktor Hovland would not be happy with the start of his 2024 season! The Norwegian golfer started his year in Hawaii with a tied 22nd finish. In his latest tournament, the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-AM, the player carded an under-3 score, finishing at a disappointingly low 58th spot. Unfortunately, there is another piece of bad news coming the way of his fans. This comes nearly a week after he shut down rumors about his move to LIV Golf.

The Norwegian golfer has officially withdrawn from the Waste Management Phoenix Open. The PGA Tour event is set to take place at TPC Scottsdale in Scottsdale, Arizona on February 8 to 11. This information will be devastating for his fans as a purse of $8,800,000 was up for grabs.

Along with Hovland, Thorbjorn Olesen and Jorge Campillo have also withdrawn from the event. This decision comes after some indifferent performances this year. Hovland shot a 3-under 69 on day one at Spyglass Hill and thus finished 14 strokes behind winner Wyndham Clark.

The reigning FedEx Cup champion struggled with his irons and his wedges, as he ranked 78th out of 80 players in strokes gained approaching the green. He was 73rd in strokes gained around the green as well. According to Marius Thorp of Euro Sport Norges Golf, Hovland needed a week off to rest, recuperate, and practice. He will work on his game in Florida before returning to competitive play at the Genesis Invitational, the third signature event of the season.

For now, Victor Perez of France will replace Hovland in the tournament. But in the case of the Norwegian golfer, a heated debate has started among netizens.

Fans are now wondering if they are not going to watch him play in Arizona; will they catch him playing in Las Vegas—the spot for the next LIV Golf event?

Viktor Hovland’s name is a common occurrence in LIV Golf rumors

Since the start of the breakaway league, there have been rumors flying about Hovland joining them. However, the 26-year-old has denied them every time, sticking to playing on the PGA Tour.

But recently, he started to warm up toward the recent LIV Golf debutant, Jon Rahm. The two of them were part of the 2023 Ryder Cup-winning team. However, Rahm switched sides, taking Tyrrell Hatton along with him. He can no longer play alongside the 26-year-old in the Ryder Cup unless the rules change.

Read More: Weeks After Attacking the PGA Tour’s ‘Arrogance’, Viktor Hovland Reveals the Outcome of His Fiery Rant

However, Hovland does not oppose Jon Rahm playing in the Ryder Cup since he considers him to be one of the best ones. “Yeah, hey, we just want the best players to be on the team. That’s it. It’s that simple,” he said. This support for LIV Golf, coupled with his open criticism of the PGA Tour, has led fans to believe he can switch sides soon.

But then last week when the head of communications at the Norwegian Golf Association, Tom Rosenvinge, asked Hovland about the rumors of him joining LIV Golf next week, Hovland simply responded, “Not true.”

His disappearance from the Waste Management Phoenix Open adds a new twist to his saga. Notably, Adrian Meronk also withdrew from the Farmers Insurance Open before jumping ship.

Do you think this forebodes Viktor Hovland moving towards the breakaway league? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.

Watch This Story | LIV Golf News: 3 Major Takeaways as the $3B PGA Tour-PIF Merger Deadline Gets Extended, as Per Reports