2023 has been a rollercoaster year for Norwegian golfer Viktor Hovland. The young golfer has experienced a mix of highs and lows that have defined his season.
Hovland's remarkable journey culminated in clinching the prestigious FedEx Cup Playoffs title. His path to this achievement was paved with a combination of tenacity and exceptional performance in multiple championships. Notably, he completed three consecutive under-par rounds at the St. Jude Championship, a testament to his consistent form.
But Hovland's prowess didn’t stop there. At the BMW Championship, held just outside Chicago, he delivered a breathtaking final-round 61, showcasing his incredible skill and mental fortitude. His stellar performance continued as he secured victory at the Tour Championship in Atlanta, ending the postseason with an impressive scoring average of 66.17.
Despite these accomplishments, Hovland's season was not without challenges. Entering the St. Jude Championship, he was ranked 57th in the FedEx Cup standings. Moreover, his strokes gained approach numbers had dipped to +0.46 per round, and he ranked 175th out of 176 players on the PGA Tour in strokes gained around the green. This highlighted the inconsistency that marked the early part of his season, where he managed only one top-10 finish, the lowest total strokes gained output of his career.
Reflecting on his performance, Hovland admitted to undergoing a difficult period in his game. "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," he explained.
The offseason became a critical phase for Hovland. His conscious effort to cut the ball more ended up disrupting his swing. "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 shared.
These challenges in his form and technique tested Hovland's mental resilience. "It's just not that fun to play golf when you don't know where the ball is going. I do pride myself in trying to make the best out of it, but it gets to a point where you kind of lose that belief – you just see a shot, and that's not good enough. I can try to grind my hardest. I can try to chip in from there. But you do that too often, too many times during the course of a round or a tournament, [and] it's too much to overcome. I feel like it's a waste of time for me to be playing golf if that's where I'm at; I'd rather be off the golf course and work on it, trying to figure out why I'm doing those things," reflected Hovland.
In the latter part of the year, Hovland's perseverance began to pay off. His efforts culminated in a sensational performance at the Ryder Cup in the fall, where his contributions were highly impactful. There was no denying his renewed form, spurred by the structured approach to identifying and correcting the flaws in his game.
Hovland's pragmatic approach toward improvement has marked his comeback. "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," he said.
Hovland's 2023 season encapsulates the unpredictable nature of sports, where adversity and triumph are often intertwined. His journey demonstrates that elite athletes are constantly evolving, adapting, and striving to reach new heights despite the inevitable setbacks. As Hovland continues on his path of progression, the golfing world is certainly watching with great anticipation.