PROFESSIONAL SPOTLIGHT
Hammer time Hovland conquers with a smile
Norway's Viktor Hovland enjoys his time in Stillwater and Edmond. and it’s contributing to better play earlier.” After winning three times during a Ben e comes from the land of the ice Hogan Award-winning junior season at and snow and seemingly armed Oklahoma State, winning the 2018 U.S. Amateur with coach Alan Bratton on the with a Hammer of the Gods. Viktor Hovland, Norway native and cur- bag and helping lead one of the best colrent Stillwater resident, has bashed his way legiate teams of all time to the ‘18 NCAA into the top four of the World Golf Rank- championship on OSU's home course at ings at the age of 24, probably a great age Karsten Creek, Hovland knew he was ready for plundering but until recently viewed as to test himself on the PGA Tour. But he wasn’t ready to leave a bit young for world Stillwater. domination. To this day, he plays Look now, howevand practices with the er, and youth is being OSU team when he’s served. Hovland, Colin town and feels perlin Morikawa (25), Jon fectly comfortable doRahm (27) and Scottie ing so. As time goes Scheffler (24) were the on, he can see the role top four in the OWGR changing from one at this writing. of the guys to more Tiger Woods came of a mentor role, but out of Stanford with, he doesn’t plan to be “Hello, World,” on his headquartered in Stilllips and a steel grip water much longer. on everyone’s throat. Hovland is building That was regarded as a house near Oak Tree precocious on a tour National in Edmond, then dominated by where he often plays 30-somethings. Not Hovland at the 2018 Big 12 Champi- and practices with the anymore. onship at Southern Hills host of talented young “It’s pretty crazy and kind of hard to pinpoint exactly why professionals and amateurs that are memit’s happening,” Hovland said. “But you bers, including former OSU teammate Matsee other guys do it before you and it gives thew Wolff, Talor Gooch, Austin Eckroat, you the belief you can do it as well. It’s a Quade Cummins, Rhein Gibson, Josh Creel, domino effect. Kids have much more in- Michael Gellerman, Blake Trimble and a host formation now on swing speed and proper of others. “Oak Tree is awesome,” Hovland said. training. Guys are hungry, they want it bad by ken macleod
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GOLF OKL AHOMA • 2022 PGA CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW
“Any day you go there, there are at least a couple of guys around and you can get a game going. “My plans are to stay in Oklahoma for a bit, but I don’t put any restrictions on myself. Stillwater has been great, but I feel like I’m maybe in an inbetween place now.” Hovland could see himself eventually moving to the East coast to be closer to direct flights to Europe and his Nordic homeland. For now, however, Oklahomans are fortunate to enjoy the company of one of the nicest young men in the game, one who does his conquering with a radiant smile. His chances of being in strong contention at Southern Hills in May would seem to be strong. But in his first visit to the course after the restoration by Gil Hanse, Hovland said he preferred the venue he competed on during the Big 12 Championship in 2018. “I only played it one time since the restoration,” he said. “It was cold and we played one step from the tips and it was brutal. Really long compared to the Big 12. I didn’t dislike it, but just felt like a different course from the Big 12, where you didn’t have to hit it the longest, but you really had to shape your shots. “But it’s going to be a great week. We don’t see a lot of professional golf in Oklahoma and people in Oklahoma love golf. Hopefully we’ll get some good weather.” OSU coach Alan Bratton is not going to say he foresaw Hovland’s metoric rise up the rankings when he first saw him play in Europe six years ago, but he recognized plenty of innate talent. “That would be pretty arrogant of me to say,” Bratton said. “I may have said it about Rickie (Fowler) or Pablo (Martin). But I thought Viktor could be great. He could continue to get better and do anything he wanted to do in golf. “I think the environment in junior golf and college golf is empowering these guys to do what they’re doing. It’s good for the game to see the power shift younger. It’s a credit to the popularity of junior golf and the compeW W W.GOLFOKL AHOMA.ORG
