Padraig Harrington has lauded Norwegian golf star Viktor Hovland after his return to form at the PGA Championship last week.
Before the trip to Valhalla, the 26-year-old had endured a tough 2024 after making several changes to his swing under numerous coaches.
Hovland produced an unexpected third-place finish in the second major of the year after reuniting with former coach Joseph Mayo.
The 2023 FedEx Cup champion will now head to Pinehurst No.2 with renewed optimism.
Padraig Harrington loves one part of Viktor Hovland’s game
Speaking to NBC ahead of the senior PGA Championship, Harrington started by lauding last week’s event in Louisville.
He said: “Last week was just fabulous. It was the best week of the year last week. Everybody has got to agree with that.”
On Hovland’s performance, Harrington suggested no other player looks like they’re enjoying themself more than the Norwegian when on top form.
“Viktor playing well again,” he added. “Who doesn’t enjoy watching Viktor play golf? He’s just phenomenal when he’s on form. I don’t think there’s anybody in the world of golf that, when on form, just seems to enjoy and have the fun he has when he’s playing great. I missed the cut last week, but watching 36 holes over the weekend was fantastic.”
Viktor Hovland must back up his Valhalla performance
Hovland needed to take his game back to basics, and that’s precisely what he did at Valhalla.
Returning to his former coach and what worked well for him in 2023 was the right move; the Norwegian’s game didn’t need too much alteration after his Tour Championship triumph.
Now, backing up his PGA Championship outing at Pinehurst No.2 is a must. To truly send a message to the best players in the world, consistency is required.
The likes of Xander Schauffele and Scottie Scheffler are regularly finishing near the top of the leaderboards. For Hovland to truly be considered one of the elite players, he must follow suit.
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