The primary Signature Occasion of the 2025 PGA Tour season teed off on Thursday. Eighty of the world’s most proficient golfers tackled both Pebble Seashore or Spyglass Hill Golf Course on the AT&T Pebble Seashore Professional-Am. A number of stars performed very nicely, together with Viktor Hovland.
The Norwegian professional carded a 7-under 65 and sits only one shot off Russell Henley’s lead. He’s joined by a bunch of worldwide gamers together with Justin Rose, Rasmus Hojgaard, Sepp Straka, and Cam Davis. One American can also be within the clubhouse at 7-under: The 2024 PGA Tour Rookie of the Yr nominee Jake Knapp.
On the eve of the Pebble Seashore Professional-Am, Hovland made an attention-grabbing remark to the media, trashing his personal recreation, saying, “I suck.”
Following his stellar spherical, Vik did not again away from these feedback.
“I am nonetheless not proud of my recreation, the way it appears, however that does not imply that I can have nice particular person days or nice particular person tournaments,” stated Hovland.
“I am attempting to clearly get my thoughts out of the technical features of it and simply attempting to play golf.”
Viktor Hovland Rise and Fall on PGA Tour
Hovland ascended to the highest of the PGA Tour world in 2023. He captured the Tour Championship following a wonderful season. Since that point, although, issues haven’t gone very easily for the 27-year-old. He logged simply two top-10s in 16 begins on Tour with out notching a victory. Hovland cut up together with his swing coach not as soon as however twice since then.
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To make issues worse, Hovland suffered a toe harm lately. The cumulative impact clearly acquired the Oslo native into his head. However he seems to see the sunshine on the finish of the tunnel.
“2023 I had the most effective season of my profession and I do know I can play at that stage once more. And I need to play at that stage each single time.
“However I do know that as I am hitting worse and worse photographs, ultimately you type of must be just a little bit kinder to your self and simply go, OK, I’d hit some horrible photographs however let’s attempt to hit the horrible photographs in an OK place as a substitute of within the water or short-siding myself. Let’s attempt to plot my means round and shoot OK scores after which we are able to work on issues after the spherical and simply maintain getting just a little bit higher.”
He was in a position to maneuver round fairly nicely on Thursday. He carded eight birdies, dropping just one shot on the par-4 ninth. However nobody ought to be that stunned Hovland performed fantastically through the first spherical. He is aware of this course extraordinarily nicely.
Hovland gained the U.S. Novice right here in 2018 after which was Low Novice at Pebble Seashore for the 2019 U.S. Open.
He’ll look to maintain that momentum going Friday as he’ll tee off at 9:27 am PT.