Viktor Hovland. A name that is not commonly associated with the likes of his more renowned colleagues like Tiger Woods or Rory Mccllory. Regardless, it’s a name we should definitely be keeping an eye out for in the foreseeable future.The 23-year-old Norwegian is making his case as the next premier newcomer on the PGA Tour.
Viktor Hovland
Tiger Woods
Jack Nicklaus
Phil Mickelson
Jerry Pate
Lanny Wadkins— Sean Martin (@PGATOURSMartin) December 8, 2020
During his transition to the United States, Hovland won the 2018 U.S. Amateur Championship. He was the first Norwegian to accomplish such a feat. His win in the U.S. Amateur Championship also earned him invitations to the 2019 Masters Tournament, the 2019 U.S. Open, and the 2019 Open Championship.
In the 2019 Masters Tournament, Hovland was the low amateur, finishing three under par in a tie for 32nd. Considering it being his debut, this was a strong showing for a course often revered as one of the toughest on Tour.
In the 2019 U.S. Open, he finished in 12th place and was the low amateur with a record-breaking score of 280 strokes. That was good enough for the lowest 72-hole score by an amateur in the U.S Open since the great Jack Nicklaus in 1960.
Viktorious. 🏆
23-year-old Viktor Hovland gets it done @MayakobaGolf for his second career TOUR win. pic.twitter.com/uy7aAv62n1
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) December 6, 2020
Hovland became the first golfer to win low amateur in the Masters and the U.S Open in 20 years, the first since 1998.
Viktor Hovland – Professional Career
Following his success in amateur competition, Hovland decided to turn professional. In the first four months of his professional career, he finished tied for second in the Albertsons Boise Open, which qualified him to play on the PGA Tour in the 2019-2020 season.
Shortly after that, Hovland put the world on notice by claiming his first PGA Tour victory at the Puerto Rico Open with a score of 20 under par.
However, his success in 2020 does not end there.
Most recently, Hovland claimed another PGA Tour win at the Mayakoba Golf Classic in Mexico. He won with a score of 20 under par and finished with a 1-stroke lead over the rest of the field.
Viktor Hovland appears to be the next exceptional young talent to make his way through the PGA Tour. And barring any surprises, he is sure to catapult himself into international rankings and longstanding success.
