Ludvig Aberg and Viktor Hovland at the 2023 Ryder Cup. (Photo: Getty)
The Scandinavian duo Ludvig Aberg and Viktor Hovland proved a success in Friday morning at the 2023 Ryder Cup. Against Max Homa and Brian Harman they brought home a 4&3 victory, making the second point for Team Europe. The Europeans secured all four possible points in the foursome matches.
Quotes from Ludvig Aberg and Viktor Hovland at the 2023 Ryder Cup
Q.Is the Ryder Cup as incredible as you thought it would be?
LUDVIG ÅBERG: I think so. The crowds were unbelievable here today, and we could really feel that support and that’s what we need to keep winning points here in Rome, so it was a lot of fun today.
Q.How does it feel whether you’re out here are the energy from the crowd and the momentum Europe had, how much did you really ride that through the course that match?
VIKTOR HOVLAND: It was such a big difference compared to Whistling Straits. Normally I keep my head down and just play, but I’m trying to really get the crowds going and just use them because they want you to play well and they want to support you. So it was such a good start, and we’re going to keep it going.
Viktor Hovland hopes to secoure the Ryder Cup 2023. (Source: Getty)
Viktor Hovland, the golf sensation from Team Europe, has had a remarkable individual season. As he steps into the much-anticipated Ryder Cup 2023, he expresses his eagerness to translate his individual accomplishments into a unified team victory. Despite the exceptional year, Hovland maintains a team-first perspective, emphasizing that personal achievements “go out the window” when it comes to the Ryder Cup. The motivation to bring the Cup back to Europe, especially after the events of two years ago, remains high among all team members.
Hovland reflected on his experience at Whistling Straits two years ago, acknowledging the challenges Team Europe faced against a strong U.S. Team: “I felt like I played okay, but I lacked the special things in the matches to where you really flip the momentum around and you can build on a big putt or an up-and-down or maybe a chip-in or something like that. That just wasn’t there”. This year, he brings a more refined game, supplemented with improvements in the short game and a series of accomplishments throughout the year, fostering a belief and confidence that he can extract himself from any situation.
Sharpening the Short Game
The acknowledgment of his limitations around the greens led Hovland to seek guidance from Joe Mayo at the start of the year. With Mayo’s insights into the physics of the short game, Hovland has been working meticulously to enhance his capabilities, understanding the essential differences in approach needed for long drives and short games. “He basically just explained the physics of why I didn’t have a great short game before. It wasn’t because I wasn’t talented enough or I didn’t have the “hands” to do it. I was essentially just getting a little too shallow into the ball and getting way behind it.”
Hate at the Ryder Cup 2023
Hovland was asked about the changing of the rivalry at the Ryder Cup. The reporter reffered his question to former players like Paul McGinley: “Talking to guys like Paul McGinley, he speaks a lot about the rivalry that used to be more clear in the way that Europeans played in Europe, Americans played in America. Nowadays, you guys pretty much all play together. You’ve grown up with Collin Morikawa. How does it affect the rivalry of the Ryder Cup, in your opinion?”
“I can’t speak for the guys that played in the past,” Hovland said, “but it seems that we probably hate each other less than guys used to in the past. “But sure, hate is a big motivator to do well. That’s just a fact. But I think where we are now, we’re more motivated maybe to win for our country and continent. We want to win for Europe. It’s not so much to — obviously we want to beat the Americans. We enjoy that. “But it’s not because we hate the other team. It’s because we love Europe and we want to do well for the people that support us.”
The Role and Impact of Rankings in the Ryder Cup
Despite being one of the highest-ranked players in Team Europe, Hovland downplayed the emphasis on World Rankings: “It just goes out the window this week. Whatever technically the 12th ranked player on the team could be the best player on their team right now, so just because someone is ranked a little bit higher on the World Rankings doesn’t mean that they’re going to be tougher to beat this week.”
Norwegian Viktor Hovland starts for Team Europe at The 2023 Ryder Cup. (Photo: Getty)
Viktor Hovland was the third player to be confirmed as a certain part of the European team for the 2023 Ryder Cup. Ranked No. 5 in the official world golf rankings at the time of qualification and thus the third-best European golfer in the world, the Norwegian secured his ticket for the team and enters the tournament as a promising player. He was the first Norwegian ever to make the Ryder Cup team two years ago. To confirm his position on the team, he celebrated victory at the BMW Championship just a few weeks before the 2023 Ryder Cup, and just one week later he also celebrated success at the Tour Championship.
Viktor Hovland at the Ryder Cup 2023
Thanks to his results this season, Viktor Hovland secured his place on Team Europe at the 2023 Ryder Cup via his ranking in the world points rankings. Thanks to his consistent performance – Hovland did not miss a single cut – and the consistent successes he has achieved in recent months, the 25-year-old has now even climbed to fourth place in the world rankings. At the time of qualifying, only two Americans and two Europeans scored more world ranking points: Scottie Scheffler (1), Rory McIlroy (2), Jon Rahm (3) and Patrick Cantlay (4). As the third best European, Hovland thus secured his place in the team after Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm.
With the good form in which Viktor Hovland has now been presenting himself for a long time, he is entering the 2023 Ryder Cup as a hopeful. Hovland’s numerous top-ranked finishes were crowned not least by his performances at the four majors: he finished in the top-20 at all four tournaments. His worst finish was 19th place at the US Open. He finished the Open Championship in joint 13th place and the Masters in T7. At the PGA Championship, the Norwegian’s first major title was within his grasp – he finished in second place. Nevertheless, he was among the winners this season: At the Memorial Tournament in Muirfield, Hovland claimed his fourth PGA Tour victory in the middle of the year. His second win of the year followed shortly before the end of the season. With a record round and a five-stroke lead, he snatched victory at the BMW Championship, only to go on to win the final tournament of the PGA Tour season a week later.
Viktor Hovland and his Norwegian history at the Ryder Cup
The Norwegian’s Ryder Cup career is still young. Two years ago, he made his debut in Team Europe, when he fought for victory with his teammates at Whistling Straits, but lost the competition handily. Nevertheless, he celebrated a huge success even before the tournament began: Viktor Hovland was and remains to this day the first and only Norwegian player ever to become part of the Ryder Cup team, thus making history.
Alongside Jon Rahm, he was the only player to play in all five sessions for Team Europe; his record was 0-3-2. Three defeats could not be avoided for Hovland and his teammates, but twice the then 24-year-old scored half a point each. Once in his second duel with Tommy Fleetwood against Justin Thomas and Patrick Cantlay and in the singles match on Sunday. Here he faced Collin Morikawa and would have had to get the full point to avoid the early victory of the opposing team. This year, the European team is looking to reclaim the trophy on home soil.
After a promising amateur career, Viktor Hovland turned professional in 2019 and emerged as a high-flyer. In the same year, he set the PGA Tour record for most consecutive rounds in the 60s – in total, he played a score under 70 19 times in a row. Just as he became the first Norwegian to be part of the Ryder Cup, Viktor Hovland is also the first Norwegian to win on both the DP World Tour (formerly the European Tour) and the PGA Tour. He has now collected a total of seven victories on both tours combined, making him one of the most consistent golfers in Europe. At the Hero World Challenge 2022, Hovland achieved his first title defense on the PGA Tour, equaling Tiger Woods as the only player with two consecutive victories at this event. In his young career, the 25-year-old, who will turn 26 shortly before the 2023 Ryder Cup, has now earned more than 23 million euros in prize money. This does not include the 18 million dollars he won at the Tour Championship.
Ryder Cup 2023: A look inside Viktor Hovland’s bag
Viktor Hovland is also relying on the successful combination of Ping, Titleist and TaylorMade at the Ryder Cup. In addition to the Ping G425 LST driver, he will also be using the Stealth Plus 3-wood in his bag. With a 16.5 degree slope, he gets a bit more spin and height out of the long wood. Completing the “long section” of his golf bag is a driving iron from Titleist. With the U505 3-iron, Hovland can deliver pinpoint tee shots and controllable carry shots. The Ping i210 Players irons complete his iron set, providing spin, accuracy and versatile trajectories. Like teammate Hatton, Hovland reaches for the Ping Glide 4.0 wedge around the greens in Rome. On the short-cut, the Norwegian uses a prototype of the Ping PLD Milled putter in the DS72 variant. He also uses the popular Titleist Pro V1.
The 2023 Tour Championship is luring golf's elite with a hefty prize purse. (Photo: Getty)
Georgia opened its doors once again for the 2023 Tour Championship. Payday on the PGA Tour. The final tournament of the FedEx Cup 2023 offered prize money that set its own standards. Almost 20 million US dollars awaited the winner at East Lake Golf Club. But it wasn’t just Viktor Hovland, who won the tournament by five strokes, who cleaned up well, because an entire season came to a spectacular end here. Last year, Rory McIlroy rallied from a six-stroke deficit at the start of the week and a five-stroke deficit at the start of the final day to defeat Scheffler by one stroke and claim the prize money. The size of this prize pool is spectacular: for the enormous sum is as large as the combined salaries of the U.S. Masters, the PGA Championship, the U.S. Open and the British Open.
As play heads into the final stretch this weekend in Atlanta, the payout of the $75 million FedEx Cup bonus pool that players receive for their finishes in the season-long points race is drawing ever closer. As with regular PGA Tour events, the money will be split equally among players if there is a tie in the standings in this final event of the 2022-23 PGA Tour season. So each of the top 150 players in the FedEx Cup rankings will receive something from the bonus pool.
Tour Championship: $75 million to be distributed
Scottie Scheffler will not have forgotten last year and so the world number 1 went into the FedExCup final with extra motivation. He started the tournament at -10 ahead of Viktor Hovland (-8) and Rory McIlroy (-7), while Sepp Straka had a more difficult time in 30th place and started at even par. This put Scheffler in pole position for the event at the Tour Championship. However, the American was unable to maintain this position, playing only one round under par and thus relinquishing the leading position to Viktor Hovland, who did not rest on his starting capital, the eight strokes under par and increased to 7-under par. The young Norwegian thus secured the astronomical prize money of 18 million dollars for the victory.
Places 150 to 125 will receive 85,000 dollars, after which the prize money will increase continuously. From 50th place onwards, the prize money is around 200,000 dollars. However, over half a million dollars was waiting for the top 30 at the Tour Championship. Straka and Co. are therefore already guaranteed the 500 000 dollars after the Tour Championship. The mark of 1,000,000 dollars will be cracked from 10th place in the ranking. In 5th place, there are already 3 million dollars waiting. This is followed by 4th place with 4 million dollars, 3rd place with 5 million and the runner-up with 6.5 million dollars. But as if that wasn’t enough, first place will receive almost triple that amount and can look forward to a whole 18,000,000 dollars. A list of the prize money probably makes some amateur golfers jealous.
Tour Championship 2023: The prize money at a glance
Stars of the European Tour: Viktor Hovland and Rory McIlroy. (Photo: Getty)
The “14 Club Challenge” demands precise play from the players of the DP World Tour (formerly: European Tour) despite a completely wrong choice of clubs. At Emirates Golf Club, DP World Tour stars Viktor Hovland and Rory McIlroy compete against each other on Hole 4, a 155-yards par-3. At the end of the challenge, there is a clear winner.
Only on the DP World Tour: Driver on a par-3?
A point is awarded for every tee shot that comes to rest on the green. The challenge: Each of the 14 clubs that the players have in their bags may be used a maximum of once. If one player uses his pitching wedge, it is unavailable for the rest of the game and for the other player. The longer the challenge runs, the more diffuse the choice of clubs becomes…
Viktor Hovland and Daniel Berger argue with rules official Gary Young at the Players Championship. (Photo: Getty)
The Players Championship was marked by weather interruptions and windy misses. For Joel Dahmen, Viktor Hovland and Daniel Berger, however, their fourth round was about something else. Berger was still about 210 yards from the green on the par-5 16th hole and, four shots off the lead, wanted to take his chance at an eagle. However, his iron shot slipped and landed in the water. This everyday situation led to a heated discussion between the three flight partners.
Where did the ball go into the water? Three players – three opinions
Immediately after his miss, Berger fretted: “That’s a water ball.” After a relatively straight start, the ball flew with a slice (right turn) into the water hazard of the 16th hole. This flight curve subsequently also led to a heated discussion with his teammates Joel Dahmen and Viktor Hovland.
Daniel Berger, Viktor Hovland and Joel Dahmen discuss Berger’s drop on the 16th hole. pic.twitter.com/Bfr0x7X7SK
For Daniel Berger, the ball clearly crossed the boundary of the water hazard near the green, while Hovland and Dahmen saw the entry point much further back. The difference between the players was to be decided by an rules official and the analysis of a video recording. But official Gary Young decided he would stay out of the discussion and that the video footage that was consulted was also inconclusive. Ultimately, the players decided to compromise and Berger dropped the ball between the two points under discussion. “I still think the drop is bad,” he clarified several times.
Divided opinions also on the net
Opinions on this debate are divided not only within the flight, but also on social networks. Some users, for example, stand by Hovland’s and Dahmen’s statement, while just as many consider Berger’s drop point to be the right position. Viktor Hovland is one of the quietest players on tour, according to Joel Beall, editor at Golf Digest. His conclusion, “if he [editor’s note Viktor Hovland] has a problem with your drop, it’s a bad drop.”
Viktor Hovland is the least confrontational player on tour. If he has a problem with your drop, it's a bad drop
Hovland himself said after his round, “It looked like it kind of started at the pin and then cut off toward the end because the wind was coming from the left a little bit, too.” He went on to say, “it ended up being somewhat of a compromise. He dropped a little bit further up than Joel and I kind of thought, but we ended up making a compromise, and that’s where he hit it from.” One user went even further, thanking Hovland and Dahmen for “protecting the field and maintaining the integrity of the event.”
Shot started right and faded further right. Thank you @Joel_Dahmen and Viktor Hovland for trying to protect the field and help preserve the integrity of the event.
On the other side are Berger’s supporters. The shot tracker from the PGA broadcast is often used as a basis for argument. On this, it looks as if the ball is flying just before the green in the direction of the water hazard.
Obviously really hard to tell from any camera angle, but here's Berger's shot.
The conclusion to the debate at the Players Championship
In the end, no clear answer can be found from pictures alone. It was statement against statement and the compromise found was probably the most de-escalating variant, although not a satisfactory decision for all players. For all players involved, however, it was clear after the round that they did not seek confrontation for personal reasons, but only to ensure compliance with the rules.
Viktor Hovland celebrates the second ace at PGA Tour's Players Championship 2022. (Photo: Screenshot Twitter/@PGATOUR)
Viktor Hovland scores the second ace at this year’s Players Championship on the PGA Tour! In his third round, which was finished on Monday due to the weather, the Norwegian holes for eagle, his second of the round.
There are a total of four par-3 holes at TPC Sawgrass, the most notorious of which is 17 with the iconic island green. On this hole Shane Lowry scored the tenth ever hole-in-one in round 3 on Sunday, sending the crowd into a frenzy.
Now Viktor Hovland hits another ace at the flagship event of the PGA Tour, this time at the 8th hole. For the 24-year-old, who had started at the 10th tee, it was the second-last hole and he sank the ball from 219 yards. The shooting star had already scored an eagle on hole 2. Hovland finished the round with a total of 68 strokes and climbed a few places on the leaderboard. Before the final round, the three-time winner on the PGA Tour is at four-under-par.
Tommy Fleetwood and Viktor Hovland are hitting the DP World Tour school bag. (Photo: Twitter/ DP World Tour
Last weekend was a throwback to school for Tommy Fleetwood and Viktor Hovland at the DP World Tour. The two golf stars competed against each other in a quiz. They were not left alone in the face of danger. Two junior golfers supported these two top DP World Tour players, helping them in this “child’s play” quiz.
What colour is a giraffe’s tongue?
The questions in this somewhat different quiz could be thematically classified as general knowledge. But do the golfers really know which is the longest river in the world? Or how many years ago did the dinosaurs become extinct? Good thing Fleetwood and Hovland counted with the two junior golfers Maya and Daniel to help them get through the exam.
The final challenge was not about general knowledge, but rather about something in what the two golfers are experts at, a putting contest. For the points they had previously earned, they had to move ten feet (3 metres) closer to the flag for each point. In this way, a 30-metre putt can be quizzed into a feasible chance of winning for the better team.
Full video of the DP World Tour and HSBC challenge
Collin Morikawa will start at the Dubai Desert Classic on DP World Tour in late January. (Photo: Getty Images)
World Number Two and reigning Open champion Collin Morikawa and four-time Major winner Rory McIlroy are among the world’s best who will join defending champion Paul Casey as a new era begins at Emirates Golf Club from January 27-30.
World Number Six Viktor Hovland became the first Norwegian to play in the Ryder Cup last year. He will make his second appearance at the event, alongside teammates Tommy Fleetwood, Tyrrell Hatton, Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood and Bernd Wiesberger, as well as their Captain, three-time Major winner Pádraig Harrington.
The 2019 Open Champion Shane Lowry, who also made his Ryder Cup debut at Whistling Straits, will join Europe’s all-time leading points scorer and fellow Major winner Sergio Garcia in the field, with the Spaniard aiming to lift the famous Dallah trophy for the second time.
Danny Willett is seeking to achieve the same feat, with the Englishman setting the precedent for Garcia by winning at the Emirates Golf Club just months before securing the Green Jacket.
Rory McIlroy at the Dubai Desert Classic (Photo: Getty Images)
Anniversary for Adam Scott
It promises to be a memorable anniversary for another former winner at Augusta National, with the 2013 Masters Tournament champion Adam Scott returning to the event exactly 20 years after his last appearance in 2002. Meanwhile it will be a 13th appearance for the 2010 U.S. Open winner Graeme McDowell.
Slync.io, the logistics technology provider that is revolutionising the way global supply chains work, is the new title sponsor of the Dubai Desert Classic, an event which boasts a glittering list of former winners.
Amongst those once again teeing it up this month are 2016 Open Champion Henrik Stenson, victorious European Ryder Cup Captains Thomas Bjørn and Colin Montgomerie, Spanish Ryder Cup stars Rafa Cabrera Bello and Miguel Ángel Jiménez and Scotland’s Stephen Gallacher – the only player to have lifted the trophy in consecutive seasons. With two-time DP World Tour winners Lucas Herbert and Li Haotong also in the field, 10 of the 13 winners in the past 15 years will appear.
The Slync.io Dubai Desert Classic will also provide a unique opportunity for one up-and-coming star, with Texan Sam Bennett claiming a sponsor exemption as the top-ranked player in the PGA TOUR University Velocity Global Ranking.
Viktor Hovland will make his second appearance. (Photo: Getty Images)
Simon Corkill, Executive Tournament Director, Slync.io Dubai Desert Classic, said: “This year’s Slync.io Dubai Desert Classic has attracted some of the world’s best golfers, and we look forward to welcoming a world-class international field for a truly memorable edition of the event. With free entry for spectators this year, a first for the tournament, there is sure to be an incredible atmosphere befitting the elevated status of a Rolex Series event on the DP World Tour.”
The Slync.io Dubai Desert Classic 2022 will be the second of back-to-back Rolex Series events in the Middle East in January, with the tournaments in Abu Dhabi and Dubai also part of the European Tour’s traditional ‘Desert Swing’ which annually attract the sport’s leading players.
Tournament’s 33rd edition
Celebrating its 33rd edition in 2022, the iconic tournament has been won by some of golf’s greatest names, including Major Champions Seve Ballesteros, Fred Couples, Jose Maria Olazábal, Mark O’Meara, Tiger Woods and Bryson DeChambeau.
The winners’ circle over the past 32 years has also featured Ryder Cup stars such as Mark James, the inaugural champion in 1989. The tournament is now set for an even brighter future with the support of Slync.io.
This year’s event offers plenty to interest spectators both on and off the course. Tournament Town will provide a wide range of family- friendly entertainment in addition to food trucks from some of the city’s popular brands including Shawarma Station, Aballi Arabic Concept, Wok Boyz, Koshari, Choma BBQ, Burro Blanco and more.
Other initiatives include ‘Pink Saturday’, where players, caddies and fans are encouraged to dress in pink to raise awareness about breast cancer in the UAE and beyond, and ‘Sustainability Sunday’, a day dedicated to bringing the tournament’s many green and sustainable initiatives into focus.
Lucas Bjerregaard of Denmark tees off on the 13th hole during the final round of the Portugal Masters at Dom Pedro Victoria Golf Course(Getty Images)
PGA Tour: World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba
Viktor Hovland, from Norway came to defend his title this weekend and succeeded. Hovland signed four rounds of 67-65-62-67 to achieve a new tournament record of 23-under par. The young star wins his third title on the PGA Tour at the age of 24. Fourteen clubs were too many for him. Hovland let Danny Lee use his driver on the range, and he wracked it. The Norwegian played his best golf with a borrowed driver.
The first Scandinavian names on the leaderboard shows at T45. Henrik Norlander and Alex Noren finished with a total of 8-under par.
PGA Tour
World Wide Tech Championship
Course
Riviera Maya, Mexiko at the El Camaleon Golf Club.
Emily Pedersen, from Denmark, tried to defend champion in Saudi Arabia, but after four rounds of (73-71-67-71), the trophy slipped through her hands. Pedersen finished T17 on the leaderboard with a total of 6-under par. The best Scandinavian performance comes from Sanna Nuutinen (FIN). Nuutinen made a T9 with rounds of (71-65-73-69) for a total of 10-under par. This weekend, the Finnish player pocketed the amount of $19,452.11. Linnea Strom (SWE) and her mate Anna Nordqvist (SWE) wrapped up the event with totals of 9-under and 6-under par respectively.
The Swedish made a Top 20. Those 3 strokes difference mean a couple of thousand dolars. Strom collects $16,426.22 for a T13, while Nordqvist will take home the amount of $14,048.75 for a T17. The Aramco Saudi was not the best tournament for the Scandinavian, but that could easily change for the upcoming ones.
Denmark must be proud. Two of their golfers showed on the top of the leaderboard. Both hand by hand, Nicolai Hojgaard and Lucas Bjerregaard shared the silver medals with a total of 17-under par. What a crazy performance these two had this weekend in Portugal. Only Thomas Pieters of Belgium climbed up one more spot to win the European Tour tournament. Pieters finished 2 strokes ahead of the Danish, with a total of 19-under par.
EU Tour
Portugal Masters 2021
Course
Dom Pedro Victoria Golf Course – Vilamoura, Portugal
Prize Money
1.5 Million Euro
Champion
Thomas Pieters
Scandinavian players
Nicolai Hojgaard(T2), Lucas Bjerregaard(T2), Kristoffer Broberg(T12)
The Challenge Tour Grand Final was played in Mallorca, Spain at the T-Golf & Country Club. Markus Helligkilde brought all medals home. The Danish player not only won the tournament, but also the Challenge Tour Ranking. Helligkilde added enough points to move up to #1 after the Grand Final. His mate, Niklas Nørgaard MØLLER (DEN), signed excellent rounds of (72-69-69-70) for a total of 4-under par and a T8 position. Also tied for the 8th place, Jesper KENNEGARD (SWE).
The Grand Final tested the steel nerves of most of the players that were competing to earn their pass to the European Tour next season. The environment was great, and the ceremony ended with a group picture of all 20 classified to the Main Tour.
Challenge Tour
Challenge Tour Grand Final
Course
T-Golf & Country Club Poniente – Mallorca, Spain
Prize Money
450,000 Euro
Champion
Markus Helligkilde
Scandinavian players
Markus Helligkilde(1), Niklas Nørgaard MØLLER(T8), Jesper KENNEGARD(T8)
