Alright, let’s talk about watching Viktor Hovland play in the majors. It’s been quite a journey just following this guy, you know? I first really noticed him, I think, back when he was tearing it up as an amateur. Came out of Oklahoma State, this Norwegian kid with a massive smile and an even bigger swing. You couldn’t miss him.
Getting Hooked
So, when he turned pro and started showing up in the big four tournaments, I made sure to tune in. Early on, it was pretty obvious the kid could flat-out hit the golf ball. Seriously, watching his iron play, the way he strikes it, it’s just pure. Ball striking, tee to green, absolutely world-class right out of the gate. I’d be watching him just pepper flagsticks and thinking, ‘This guy’s gonna win a bunch of these things’.
I remember watching those early majors, maybe the Masters or the U.S. Open. He’d put himself in decent spots sometimes after the first day or two. You’d see flashes of brilliance. He’d shoot a great round, get his name up there. It felt exciting, like watching someone figure it out in real time on the biggest stage.
The Weekend Woes and That Short Game
But then, the weekends would roll around. Especially Sundays. And man, things often got a bit shaky. It wasn’t usually the long game letting him down, not from what I saw watching on TV. It was the stuff around the greens. The chipping, the little pitches, the bunker shots sometimes. It became kind of a running theme when I’d watch him play.
I’m no pro golfer, not even close, but even I could see it. He’d miss a green, maybe not by much, and you’d just hold your breath. It felt like he was more likely to chunk it or blade it across the green than get it close. It was tough to watch because you knew how good the rest of his game was. I’d be sitting there on the couch, just thinking, ‘Dude, just figure out how to chip!’ It seemed like the missing piece, the thing holding him back from really closing the deal in a major.
- Watching him stripe drives.
- Seeing amazing iron shots land near the pin.
- Then… that nervous feeling when he missed a green.
- Hoping the chip wouldn’t derail a good round.
Getting Closer?
Lately, though, things have felt a bit different. He’s been right there, deep into the weekend, more consistently. I remember watching the PGA Championship, I think it was last year, and he was right in the thick of it on Sunday. Battling Brooks Koepka. He looked more comfortable, more solid overall. Okay, the short game still wasn’t maybe top-tier, but it felt… less disastrous? Maybe that’s the wrong word, but it didn’t seem like the automatic bogey it once felt like from my couch.
He contended at The Open too. Put himself in the final group. Again, he didn’t quite get it done, but the experience counts, right? You can see him stacking up these experiences, learning how to handle the pressure. Or at least, that’s how it looks to me, just watching him go through the process.
My Takeaway Watching Him
So, where does that leave us? Watching Viktor Hovland in majors has been a ride. You see the incredible talent, the ball-striking that’s just amazing to witness. Then you see the struggles, particularly around the greens, that made you wonder if he’d ever put it all together for four straight days under major pressure.
It feels like he’s getting closer, it really does. He’s been knocking on the door. The chipping still needs work, probably, but it looks like he is working on it. From my perspective, just as a guy who enjoys watching golf, it feels like it’s a matter of ‘when’ not ‘if’ he bags one of these big ones. He just needs that one week where everything clicks, including those little shots around the green. I’ll definitely keep watching, that’s for sure. It’s compelling stuff.
