Viktor Hovland

Viktor Hovland (born 18 September 1997) is a Norwegian professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour. He became the first Norwegian to win on the PGA Tour when he won the 2020 Puerto Rico Open. He picked up his second PGA Tour win at the 2020 Mayakoba Golf Classic. Hovland is also the winner of the 2018 U.S. Amateur

Viktor Hovland
Personal information
Born (1997-09-18) 18 September 1997
Oslo, Norway
Height5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Weight195 lb (88 kg)
Nationality Norway
ResidenceStillwater, Oklahoma, U.S.
Career
CollegeOklahoma State University
Turned professional2019
Current tour(s)PGA Tour
European Tour
Professional wins2
Highest ranking12 (31 January 2021)[1]
(as of 31 January 2021)
Number of wins by tour
PGA Tour2
Best results in major championships
Masters TournamentT32: 2019
PGA ChampionshipT33: 2020
U.S. OpenT12: 2019
The Open ChampionshipDNP

Amateur career

Hovland played college golf at Oklahoma State University–Stillwater.[2] In 2014, Hovland won the Norwegian Amateur Golf Championship.

Hovland won the 2018 U.S. Amateur, the first Norwegian player to do so, and earned invitations into the 2019 Masters Tournament, the 2019 U.S. Open, and the 2019 Open Championship.[3] He played in the 2018 Emirates Australian Open as an amateur, finishing tied for 13th place.[4]

Hovland was the low amateur in the 2019 Masters Tournament, finishing three under par in a tie for 32nd. With this performance he rose to number one in the World Amateur Golf Ranking.[5] In the 2019 U.S. Open, he finished in 12th place and was low amateur with a score of 280. This was the lowest 72-hole score by an amateur in the U.S. Open, breaking the previous record of 282, set by Jack Nicklaus in 1960.[6] He became the first player to win low amateur honors at both the Masters and U.S. Open in the same season since Matt Kuchar in 1998.

Professional career

Hovland turned professional following the 2019 U.S. Open, and made his professional debut at the 2019 Travelers Championship.[7] By doing so, he forfeited his automatic entry to the 2019 Open Championship.

In August 2019, Hovland finished tied for second in the Albertsons Boise Open, part of the Korn Ferry Tour Finals. This finish secured him a PGA Tour card for the 2019–20 season. Hovland set a PGA Tour record for most consecutive rounds in the 60s with 19 lasting into the second round of the CJ Cup in South Korea.

In February 2020, Hovland became the first Norwegian to win on the PGA Tour when he won the Puerto Rico Open.[8] In December 2020, Hovland picked up his second PGA Tour win, and his first at a full-strength PGA Tour tournament, by birdieing the 72nd hole at the Mayakoba Golf Classic.[9]

Amateur wins

Source:[10]

Professional wins (2)

PGA Tour wins (2)
No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin of
victory		Runner-up
1 23 Feb 2020 Puerto Rico Open −20 (68-66-64-70=268) 1 stroke Josh Teater
2 6 Dec 2020 Mayakoba Golf Classic −20 (67-69-63-65=264) 1 stroke Aaron Wise

Results in major championships

Results not in chronological order in 2020.

Tournament 20192020
Masters Tournament T32LA
PGA Championship T33
U.S. Open T12LA T13
The Open Championship NT
  Did not play

LA = Low amateur
"T" = tied for place
NT = No tournament due to COVID-19 pandemic

Results in World Golf Championships
Tournament2020
Championship
Match Play NT1
Invitational T59
Champions NT1

1Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic

  Did not play

NT = No tournament
"T" = Tied

Team appearances

Amateur

Sources:[10][11]

See also

References
  1. "Week 5 2021 Ending 31 Jan 2021" (pdf). OWGR. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  2. "Viktor Hovland – 2017–18 Men's Golf". Oklahoma State University. Retrieved 20 August 2018.
  3. Shedloski, Dave (19 August 2018). "Champion Hovland Displays Talent, Levity". USGA. Retrieved 20 August 2018.
  4. "Golf Australia scores". Retrieved 19 November 2018.
  5. "Hovland rides magnificent Masters to world number one". World Amateur Golf Ranking. 17 April 2019.
  6. Schlabach, Mark (16 June 2019). "Amateur Hovland breaks Jack's U.S. Open mark". ESPN.
  7. Johnson, E. Michael (19 June 2019). "Viktor Hovland, Matthew Wolff turn pro at Travelers Championship and immediately cash in with equipment deals". Golf Digest.
  8. "Viktor Hovland becomes PGA Tour's first Norwegian winner". Sportsnet. Associated Press. 23 February 2020. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  9. "Golf: Hovland birdies last hole to clinch Mayakoba win". Yahoo Sports. Reuters. 6 December 2020. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  10. "Viktor Hovland". World Amateur Golf Ranking. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
  11. "European Amateur Team Championship – European Golf Association". Retrieved 18 August 2020.
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