2023 has proven to be a tumultuous year for Norwegian golfer Viktor Hovland, packed with both peaks of triumph and valleys of frustration. Notably, Hovland clinched the FedEx Cup Playoffs title, marking a pinnacle in his career that included notable performances across multiple championships.
One of the highlights of Hovland's season came during the St. Jude Championship, where he completed three consecutive under-par rounds. Yet, it was his stellar final round at the BMW Championship outside Chicago that truly stunned spectators, with Hovland shooting an astonishing 61. This was followed by an impressive showing at the Tour Championship in Atlanta, securing his reputation as a formidable force on the course.
His postseason scoring average of 66.17 underscores the consistency and skill he displayed across these significant tournaments, further cementing his status among the elite golfers of the year. In addition, Hovland delivered a sensational performance at the Ryder Cup in the fall, adding yet another highlight to his remarkable season.
Challenges and Struggles
Despite these successes, Hovland's journey through 2023 was not without its challenges. Entering the St. Jude Championship, he was ranked 57th in the FedEx Cup standings, a testament to the difficulties he faced earlier in the season. His strokes gained approach numbers fell to a modest +0.46 per round, and he ranked a dismal 175th out of 176 players on the PGA Tour in strokes gained around the green. Furthermore, he only managed a single top-10 finish, marking the worst total strokes gained output of his career.
Reflecting on these struggles, Hovland expressed the frustration of battling his form, "The things that I did in my swing that made me good, that made me able to predict a certain ball flight, I went home and tried to do a certain move – not necessarily because I had in mind that I wanted to change my pattern. I knew my pattern was really good, but I was upset that I wasn't cutting the ball as much as I would have liked."
Working Through the Offseason
The offseason presented Hovland with an opportunity to address these issues, albeit with mixed results. "Then in the offseason I made a conscious effort to try to cut the ball more, and when I did that, I ruined a relationship that happens in my swing that makes it really difficult for me to control the face coming down. So now it's just kind of me learning from that. I know exactly why it happened. I know exactly what happens because I've gotten myself measured, and now it's just kind of a process of getting back to where I was. But at least I know I have all the data and the facts on the table to go about it."
Hovland's candidness about his struggles provides a rare glimpse into the mental and technical challenges faced by professional golfers. His admission that "It's just not that fun to play golf when you don't know where the ball is going" reveals the psychological burden of performing at the highest level while grappling with inconsistency.
Path to Improvement
Despite these setbacks, Hovland remains optimistic about his path forward. "I'm not sure how long it's going to take for me to play my best golf. It might be this week. It might be next week. But at least now I'm on a path to progress. I'm on a path to improvement. Whereas before, one thing is playing bad, but you don't know why and you don't know how to fix it. That's very challenging mentally. But at least now we're – I might play terrible this week, but at least I feel like I'm on a path to improvement, and that's all that kind of matters for me."
In the world of professional golf, where confidence and form can be as fleeting as a summer breeze, Viktor Hovland's 2023 season is a testament to resilience and perseverance. Even when faced with technical challenges and personal frustrations, his ability to regroup and refocus has allowed him to achieve some of the highest accolades of his career. With a clear understanding of his swing mechanics and a determined mindset, Hovland appears poised to continue his journey of improvement, eager to reclaim and surpass his previous best.