2023 has been a year of dramatic highs and challenging lows for Norwegian golfer Viktor Hovland. Demonstrating remarkable resilience and determination, Hovland managed to secure some of the most prestigious titles on the PGA Tour, despite facing significant hurdles along his journey.
Hovland's most notable achievements this year include clinching the FedEx Cup Playoffs title, a crowning moment that highlights his extraordinary talent and perseverance. His journey to this victory was marked by impressive performances, including three consecutive under-par rounds at the St. Jude Championship and an outstanding final-round 61 at the BMW Championship outside Chicago. These stellar rounds showcased his ability to perform under pressure and his prowess on the course.
The Norwegian star's triumph continued as he secured the Tour Championship in Atlanta, solidifying his status as one of the leading golfers in the world. With a postseason scoring average of 66.17, Hovland consistently displayed his mastery of the game, even when faced with the toughest competition.
However, the road was far from smooth for Hovland. Entering the St. Jude Championship, he was ranked 57th in the FedEx Cup standings, a position not reflective of his true potential. To add to the challenge, Lucas Glover was absent from the week's tournament, leaving Hovland to navigate the field without a strong competitor to measure himself against.
Despite his success, Hovland confronted significant struggles this season. His strokes gained approach numbers fell to +0.46 per round, and he ranked a disappointing 175th out of 176 players on the PGA Tour in strokes gained around the green. This statistic highlighted the areas of his game that required attention and improvement. Moreover, he had just one top-10 finish in the season and experienced the worst total strokes gained output of his career.
In a candid reflection on his performance, Hovland shared insights into his challenges and adjustments. "The things that I did in my swing that made me good, that made me able to predict a certain ball flight, I went home and tried to do a certain move – not necessarily because I had in mind that I wanted to change my pattern. I knew my pattern was really good, but I was upset that I wasn't cutting the ball as much as I would have liked," he explained.
Addressing his offseason adjustments, Hovland noted, "Then in the offseason I made a conscious effort to try to cut the ball more, and when I did that, I ruined a relationship that happens in my swing that makes it really difficult for me to control the face coming down. So now it's just kind of me learning from that. I know exactly why it happened. I know exactly what happens because I've gotten myself measured, and now it's just kind of a process of getting back to where I was."
These changes, while intended to improve his game, led to a period of uncertainty and difficulty on the course. Hovland described the challenge, saying, "It's just not that fun to play golf when you don't know where the ball is going. I do pride myself in trying to make the best out of it, but it gets to a point where you kind of lose that belief – you just see a shot, and that's not good enough. I can try to grind my hardest. I can try to chip in from there. But you do that too often, too many times during the course of a round or a tournament, [and] it's too much to overcome."
Despite these setbacks, Hovland remains focused and optimistic about his path forward. He expressed a positive outlook on his journey to reclaim his best form, stating, "I'm not sure how long it's going to take for me to play my best golf. It might be this week. It might be next week. But at least now I'm on a path to progress. I'm on a path to improvement. Whereas before, one thing is playing bad, but you don't know why and you don't know how to fix it. That's very challenging mentally. But at least now we're – I might play terrible this week, but at least I feel like I'm on a path to improvement, and that's all that kind of matters for me."
Hovland's journey in 2023 reflects the highs and lows that often accompany the career of a professional athlete. Through determination and a willingness to confront and address weaknesses, he has managed not only to secure major victories but also to set the stage for continued growth and success in the seasons to come.