Viktor Hovland has shared an honest assessment of his game ahead of the first round of the Masters on Thursday.
The golfing world eagerly awaits the year’s first major after the par three tournament on Wednesday.
Rickie Fowler’s five under through nine holes took the title, and attention now turns to the main event.
Hovland enjoyed an impressive 2023 Masters, finishing seventh on six under par. The 26-year-old will play the first two rounds with Cameron Smith and Wyndham Clark.
The Norwegian spoke briefly to the press on Wednesday and delivered a fairly honest verdict of where his game is currently at.
Viktor Hovland makes honest admission ahead of the first round at Augusta
Despite making five out of five cuts in 2024 and nailing a hole-in-one during Wednesday’s preliminary tournament, the 26-year-old suggested he’s not particularly happy with his game.
“Yeah, I could be better, but that’s how it goes,” he explained [footage from Sam Harrop]
“Just got to keep getting better, and hopefully, you never know, might play great tomorrow.”
It’s been a steady but certainly not eye-catching start to the year from Hovland. His last outing came at The Players Championship, where he tied for 62nd spot on one under. Considering Scottie Scheffler’s winning score, it’s fairly underwhelming stuff.
The Norwegian has opted to stay fresh ahead of the year’s first major, and it will be intriguing to see what kind of form he’s in this week.
READ MORE: Augusta National Golf Club: Location, Course Information and more
Can anyone compete with Scottie Scheffler this week at Augusta?
It’s hard to look past Scottie Scheffler this week. The 27-year-old’s game is hard to contend with, particularly when his putter behaves. However, with stronger winds and rain arriving over the weekend, the conditions could be a leveller, something the 2022 champion admitted.
Of course, all eyes will be on Tiger Woods. The 15-time major champion is making just his second appearance of 2024 following his withdrawal from the Genisis Open.
Speaking ahead of his first round, Woods appeared to be in a confident mood.
“I have got to have a lot of things go right,” he told ESPN.
“I still think I can win this event. I have to have a lot of things go right. And do the right things.”
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