Viktor Hovland has revealed one shot he’s not going to attempt during the 2024 U.S. Open at Pinehurst No.2.
The third major championship of the year is set to get underway on Thursday – and it’s the greens at No.2 that have been the main talking point in the build-up to the toughest test in golf.
Tiger Woods was seen using his four iron around the turtleback putting surfaces, and Scottie Scheffler was even asked if he thinks the greens are too quick in their current state.
Players will have to get inventive this week; Hovland, however, has claimed there’s one specific shot he will be looking to avoid.
Viktor Hovland rules out one shot at Pinehurst No.2
Speaking to the media ahead of Thursday’s first round, Hovland admitted that the high-spinning shots were tough because of Pinehurst’s grainy greens.
He explained: “We spent yesterday trying all the different shots. It wasn’t like I’m just going to putt everywhere and stop at that. I tried to hit some higher-spinning shots and lower-spinning shots.
“I concluded that the higher spinning shots, yes, you might pull them off, and it looks really good, and you can get it really close to some pin locations. But the more balls I put down and tried to hit the same shot multiple times in a row it’s tough because of the grain.”
As a result, the Norwegian has revealed that he’s looking to utilise lower shots and use his putter when required.
Hovland added: “So with the grain around the greens, it’s very easy to look like a fool, so I think the lower, driving, spinning shot is going to be very important, or I’m just going to putt it a lot. It will be like 50/50, maybe, chipping and putting, but I see myself hitting a lot of lower, driving shots around the greens here.”
Martin Kaymer’s 2014 win at Pinehurst appears to be the blueprint
Martin Kaymer’s remarkable 2014 win seems to be the blueprint ahead of this week’s event.
The German secured an eight-shot victory and, in turn, recorded the lowest-ever 72-hole score around Pinehurst in U.S. Open conditions.
Kaymer putted nearly all his approach shots around the greens and managed an impressive 70 per cent scramble rate.
Players who can regularly get up and down and show invention around the sloped putting surfaces will stand an excellent chance of success come Sunday afternoon.
Patrons at Pinehurst and golf fans around the world are set to be treated to some imaginative greenside play this week.
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