Things are looking up for Viktor Hovland. Two weeks ago he beat the world’s top-ranked player in a one-hole Monday playoff. That win was quickly followed by a raucous celebration with some Norwegian fans just outside the ropes.
Since then, Hovland was able to take in a World Cup match involving his beloved home team.
“I showed up for the game the following day, but it was a really cool experience. That was my first time ever watching a football game in person, and it was a great atmosphere,” he said Tuesday at the Renaissance Club in North Berwick ahead of this week’s Genesis Scottish Open. “Just seeing the sea of Norwegian jerseys doing the rowing, it was pretty special. Even we were in New York, pretty far way from home, and just seeing so many Norwegians all around Times Square and New York. It was a pretty cool experience.”
What’s also been an experience has been Hovland’s game. It’s been a bit of a rollercoaster, going from missed cut (PGA Championship) to solo third (RBC Canadian Open) to missed cut (U.S. Open) to victory (Travelers). His win at TPC River Highlands was his eighth on the PGA Tour and 10th internationally.
His latest win is amazing timing coinciding with Norway’s historic World Cup run, where the team is fresh off a win over traditional power Brazil, vaulting Norway to its first-ever quarterfinal appearance.
“Norwegians really like their football. We are big football fans. But at the same time, what’s really cool to see is any Norwegian that is doing well at anything, like we’ve had Jonas Abrahamsen and the Tour de France and when he was doing well. Now everyone starts to cycle. Then Magnus Carlsen, when he’s winning . … people are starting to play chess. Casper Ruud playing tennis. Golf is really trending back home. You can really feel that patriotic support from back home any time any Norwegian athlete would do anything well. It’s really cool to feel that.”
This World Cup run really overshadows everything right now, though.
“Man, I think I’m no expert analyst when it comes to football but it does feel like even though this is a massive accomplishment for Norwegian football and just Norwegian sports in general, in a sense, we have already won. All of this is just a cherry on top. But I think beating Brazil in the manner that it did, I think now they believed this they can beat anybody, which is what they should believe and I hope we go all the way.”
When asked about some friendly banter with his fellow pros from England, Hovland engaged in a bit of trash talk.
“I feel like it’s a very sensitive subject for them, so it might cut a little too deep there if I push too hard,” he said. “But yeah, I hope they lose and come crying out on Sunday morning.”
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Viktor Hovland is enjoying Norway’s World Cup run, talks trash about England’s squad
About the Author
