What would you do the next day if you won the biggest tournament of your career and a whopping $3.6 million paycheck?
For Viktor Hovland, who won the PGA Tour’s 2023 Memorial Tournament in a playoff at Muirfied Village Golf Club on Sunday, it was rise and shine early and get to work. No, he didn’t go tee it up; rather he is caddying for former Oklahoma State University teammate and roommate Zach Bauchou of Forest, Virginia, at a U.S. Open Final Qualifier in Columbus, Ohio.
No rest for the weary or the wealthy. Hovland took care of the first requirement of any caddie – he showed up – and was on the bag bright and early dressed in shorts and wearing his Ping cap.
No rest for the champion.
Less than 24 hours after his victory @MemorialGolf, Viktor Hovland is caddying for former @OSUCowboyGolf teammate Zach Bauchou at U.S. Open Final Qualifying in Columbus. pic.twitter.com/j6LdZxOGGt
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 5, 2023
Hovland, of course, is fully exempt from qualifying and already in the U.S. Open field at Los Angeles Country Club (June 15-18). Bauchou, a second-team All-American at Oklahoma State, played in the Mexico Open in April and missed the cut. He’s got the No. 5 golfer in the world by his side on Monday for 36 holes at The Lakes Golf & Country Club in the morning and Brookside Golf Club (2 p.m., 10th tee). As Dionne Warwick used to sing, that’s what friends are for.
After banking $3.6 million on Sunday, Hovland will be put to work. How about a little something for the effort?