Viktor Hovland has endured a tough 2024 thus far after his brilliant Tour Championship win at East Lake last year.
The 26-year-old Norwegian appeared to have the world in his hands in 2023, but alterations to his swing in the pursuit of perfection have proven costly.
Hovland was doing everything right before changing coaches and looking to implement new movements into his swing, a move YouTube golf star Peter Finch couldn’t quite understand.
Six-time PGA Tour event winner Hovland has yet to secure a top-ten finish since the turn of the year and missed the cut at The Masters at the beginning of April.
What is actually going wrong for Viktor Hovland
A report from ‘No Laying Up’ has looked into what is going wrong for the 2023 FedEx Cup champion.
Hovland has recently reunited with his former coach, Joseph Mayo, in a bid to regain form.
Much like Augusta, the 26-year-old has been spotted working on the range at Valhalla long after the rest of the field has departed the property. He’s evidently searching for something, which is alluding him at the moment.
Per ‘No Laying Up’s’ report, it’s believed those close to the Norwegian have suggested he’s “despondent” and that the “light has gone out behind his eyes”.
Furthermore, it’s understood one person, who knows Hovland well, believes the reason behind the Ryder Cup star’s form is that he’s become “ensnared in a web of curiosity” and that he’s regularly watching TikTok and YouTube videos to help improve his game.
The close contact of Hovland said: “I think what made him and Joe work is their crazy kind of aligned. Viktor can be kind of arrogant about what he knows. Joe was able to tell him when he was wrong. And Viktor was willing to buy into the program.”
Viktor Hovland must take his game back to basics
READ MORE: Valhalla Golf Club: A look at the lush fairways that are home to the PGA Championship 2024
Returning to his former coach could prove to be a good move for Hovland.
Making regular changes and trying to implement too many swing thoughts can prove counter-productive.
For Hovland, looking to focus on one main swing thought and return to what was successful for him in 2023 has to be the aim.
One positive is that his issues in 2024 will be an invaluable learning curve. He’s still in the early stages of his career and undergoing a mentally challenging period.
If he can emerge relatively unscathed, there’s every chance of the Norwegian returning to the form that had the golfing world captivated in 2023.
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