TULSA, Okla. – Viktor Hovland is relying on an interesting prep schedule ahead of this week’s 104th PGA Championship at Southern Hills Country Club.
He didn’t play a PGA Tour event the past three weeks.
The World No. 6 has played just once since tying for 27th in the Masters, as he teamed with Collin Morikawa to finish in a tie for 29th in the Zurich Classic. Hovland decided he needed time away from the PGA Tour to get his game right.
“I spent the last three weeks really well,” Hovland said Monday at Southern Hills. “I was not very happy with my game the last few weeks. Not that it was that far off, but I was just doing a few more dumb mistakes than I normally do.
“So I was pretty motivated to get to work, and the last three weeks have been really good. I feel like my game is in a way better place. But at the same time, there’s always stuff to work on, but I feel like my game is good enough to really contend. I wouldn’t be surprised if I get off to a nice start and play well this week.”
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The winner of six worldwide tournaments also isn’t concerned about his record in the majors. In seven starts as a professional, the 24-year-old has a career-best tie for 12th in last year’s British Open.
“It’s all about just trying to get better, and I feel like I’m on a very good trajectory,” he said. “I’ve gotten a lot better since I first turned pro, and if I just keep doing the things that I need to do and get better, I’m going to hopefully win some events. Sometimes you can play great and not win a tournament. So there’s a little bit of luck involved as well and I just try to control the things that I can control.”
He should feel in control at Southern Hills, having first played here as a sophomore for Oklahoma State in the Big 12 Championship. Since, he’s played the course a little more than a handful of times.
“I think it’s good. I remember there being a lot more trees the first time I came here. They have added a bunch of length and they have made it a little bit more open, but at the same time you still have to drive it really well out here. So from that aspect, I feel like it fits me really well. There’s no real faking it,” he said. “But you have to have a lot of good short game shots around greens because it’s all fairway around the green. It’s not just like rough if you miss the greens. So I think that kind of allows you to use some creativity around the greens.”
Hovland has played the course a few times in the past three weeks.
“One thing that’s kind of been the biggest difference is the last few weeks when I have been here, they have kind of top-dressed the greens and they have been very soft just to protect the greens headed into this week,” he said. “I think that’s the thing that I have to get used to the most, just seeing the ball bounce a little bit firmer, roll off some of the greens that it didn’t the last couple times I was here. I think that’s kind of the biggest difference.”