The way Viktor Hovland views golf is different from most golfers on the PGA Tour, and the Norwegian’s methods have hit the headlines this week at Pebble Beach.
Typically, consistency of thought is viewed as an important tool for success. World number one Scottie Scheffler wholly focuses on the basics and has worked with his coach, Randy Smith, since he was seven years old.
Hovland, however, has taken a very different approach.
Over the past 12 months, the 27-year-old has split from his coach–Joseph Mayo–twice and looked to make numerous changes to his technique. Hovland used an unusual double-pump technique at The Sentry, which raised a few eyebrows.
What’s more, his adjustments were still settling in during his DP World Tour outing at the start of January. Hovland struggled at the Dubai Desert Classic and missed the cut.
Positive signs for Vitkor Hovland at Pebble Beach
Yet, positive signs have begun to emerge after Hovland’s first round at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
Despite claiming he ‘sucks’ at golf right now before Thursday’s first round, Hovland currently sits in a tie for second on seven under after carding at 65 at Pebble Beach.
And speaking to the media after his round, Hovland was asked whether he pays much attention to the mental side of golf and whether it’s an area he could improve.
“I don’t. You know, I’m sure there’s a lot of smart people, and I could learn from a lot of different people. The thing is, I’m very technical driven, and I know that if my fundamentals are in a good spot and you see good shots and you’re hitting the ball where you’re looking, it’s easier to think better as well. But when the ball is going all over the place, and you’re paying a guy to sit there and say ‘just be positive,’ that kind of grinds my gears a little bit,” Hovland explained.
“I don’t want to hear that. There are definitely mental techniques and breathing techniques. Or you don’t have to be delusional, but you can definitely change the story you’re telling yourself to make you feel better. So there are valuable things to mental training that you can do, but at the end of the day, if you can’t hit the shots that you want to hit, it doesn’t matter.”
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Important round for Viktor Hovland at Pebble Beach
Considering Hovland’s view on the current state of his game, he will be thrilled to have carded an impressive number at Pebble Beach on Thursday.
As all golfers know, the game is defined by the bad shots, not the good ones. If Hovland believes there’s still room for improvement after shooting 65 on a challenging layout, then things are looking up for the Norwegian.
Hovland went on to explain how he was pleased with his effort despite not feeling completely at ease.
What Viktor Hovland said about his 65 at Pebble Beach
Hovland added: “You know, I can still play, and today was good conditions. And I hit a few really nice wedges and started making some putts. You know, I’m trying to obviously get my mind out of the technical aspects of it and just trying to play golf. Obviously, I can’t complain about whatever the stats for today I gained, probably off the tee and into the greens. Looks great on paper.
“It’s just how my mind works: It naturally tries to extrapolate what I did today and how I would play over the course of a season. I’m still not happy with my game or how it looks, but that doesn’t mean that I can have great individual days or great individual tournaments.
“So I’m still really pumped to shoot 65, but I know that I’m not going to just let that overlook the problems or the issues that I have in my game. They’re still there, but I was able to overcome it today.”
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