Viktor Hovland, the defending champion on the Memorial Match, has had a subpar begin to his 2024 season. However he returns to Muirfield Village, the place he beat Denny McCarthy in a playoff, contemporary off a strong efficiency on the PGA Championship.
His success right here final 12 months catapulted him up the FedEx Cup rankings. Hovland then went on a heater and received two extra instances, throughout back-to-back weeks in August on the BMW Championship and the Tour Championship.
Nevertheless, the previous Oklahoma State Cowboy is aware of final 12 months’s outcomes don’t imply something.
“This golf course doesn’t care about your recollections or good vibes,” Hovland mentioned.
“It’s going to punish you and produce you down if you happen to miss it on the mistaken sides. It’s one of many hardest programs we play all 12 months, so you must carry your A recreation, whether or not you’re a defending champion or not.”
The common rating at the Memorial Match final 12 months was 74.9, practically three photographs over par. Count on the typical to hover round that once more this 12 months, as Jack Nicklaus loves to check the very best gamers on his course.
Just like 2023, Hovland is coming into this week with some momentum. His final begin got here at Valhalla, the place he completed solo third.
Earlier than that top-5 end, Hovland missed the minimize at The Masters. His finest consequence got here on the Genesis Invitational, the place he tied for nineteenth.
The 6-time PGA Tour winner went from being among the finest gamers on this planet to struggling to make cuts. Earlier than the season-opening occasion at The Sentry, Hovland and coach Joe Mayo parted methods. Then, from January to Could, he employed three totally different swing coaches.
Forward of Valhalla, he traveled to Las Vegas and commenced working with Mayo once more. Hovland instantly noticed outcomes on the PGA Championship, as he appeared like his outdated self.
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Photograph by Patrick Smith/Getty Photographs
“I used to be tremendous proud about that week. After not enjoying superb golf the primary few months of the 12 months, it was good to show one thing round,” he mentioned.
“As quickly as I discovered a shot that I knew the place the ball was going and I might get myself across the golf course, I used to be instantly up in rivalry. That was cool to see that it wasn’t going to be a mission that was going to take two or three months. It was a pleasant little really feel that received me to hit the ball higher instantly.”
For the primary two rounds, Hovland will play with 2024 PGA Championship winner, Xander Schauffele. They may start their first spherical at 10:20 a.m. ET on Thursday.
Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Enjoying By means of. For extra golf protection, you should definitely observe us @_PlayingThrough on all main social platforms. You too can observe her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.
