"Viktor Hovland Strives to Rekindle His Skills at Pebble Beach"
Viktor Hovland stated that his toe is in good condition after fracturing it towards the end of last year. However, he admitted that his performance leading up to this week's Pebble Beach Pro-Am could use some improvement.
"It's not up to par," said Hovland, who claimed the U.S. Amateur championship at Pebble Beach in 2018. "Yes, it has been frustrating. I do believe that I am making progress and constantly trying to piece together the puzzle. Even if I am not seeing immediate results, which is incredibly frustrating, I am still learning."
"Even if the pieces don't fall into place today, tomorrow, or the next day, I am hoping that the accumulation of knowledge and experience will eventually lead me to overcome this hurdle and turn things around. Right now, it's quite frustrating. This game of golf, as I mentioned earlier, is elusive, counterintuitive, and extremely challenging."
Hovland, who broke his right pinky toe before the first major event of the season, The Sentry in Kapalua, Hawaii, assured that it will not hinder his performance this week. He finished T36 at The Sentry and then missed the cut at the Dubai Desert Classic two weeks ago.
"My toe is fine," the 27-year-old Norwegian confirmed. "We're back to normal. It's not causing any pain, so I don't need to tape it up. Walking around here should be a breeze."
After winning the FedEx Cup and claiming victories at the Memorial and BMW Championship in 2023, the world No. 9 only managed two top-10 finishes in 16 starts last season. He placed third at the PGA Championship and tied for second at the FedEx St. Jude Championship.
While he remains optimistic about turning his game around soon, Hovland is thrilled to be back on a course where he has previously achieved success before turning professional.
"I love it here," he exclaimed. "This is one of my favorite courses and places in the world. Not just because of the golf course, but also the surroundings. It's truly unique. I have some great memories of winning the U.S. Amateur here and being the low amateur at the U.S. Open. This is a place I always look forward to returning to every year."
