VIKTOR HOVLAND AND THE ROAD TO DISCOVERING HIMSELF

Mario Russo

A darkening shadow crept onto the white collar of Victor Hovland’s Augusta-inspired polo as he stood over his ball at the opening round of the 2023 Masters.

Lining up for his birdie putt on the sixth hole, Hovland zoned in on his putter. His head fastened atop his swaying shoulders, never bobbing an inch as his club made its way into the backswing.

The ball rolled, teetering from the right side of the hole to the left before plunging towards the bottom of the flag-less cup. Hovland’s head remained still, his eyes continued to hold onto its tight grasp with the hole as he stepped over to retrieve his sunken ball.

Before even making it a quarter of the way to the cup, Hovland finally looked up, took a quick glance at the gallery, and raised his right hand towards the sky. Three of his fingers followed and a solemn appreciation between golfer and gallery ensued. A subtle ‘thank you’ answered the small cheers that hovered around the sixth hole. A moment - although just milliseconds long - was created.

Hovland lunged to pick up his golf ball as his head dropped back into position. With eyes clamped onto the green, the Norwegian cautiously made his way to the seventh tee box, unwilling to gaze at the crowd - or perhaps enjoy the moment - any longer.

The then-25 year old masqueraded his joyful and eager personality with a veil of terror. Fearful of the moment, its magnitude, and getting tripped up and tangled in it all. Unable to trust its touch. Even more reluctant to step over its line.

Confidence blissfully danced with humbleness as Hovland went on to sink four more birdie putts to take hold of the Thursday lead at The Masters. But still, the day one success failed to have any meaningful effect on young star.

Hovland continued to wave, and wave and wave, but always locked eyes with what remained below him. Even as he buried his putt to secure a playoff victory at The Memorial Tournament in early June, Hovland raised his hand - this time in a fist pump - and proceeded to walk with his head down to retrieve his ball from the cup.

Despite clinching his first-career win in an elevated field, Hovland never seemed to come to clear terms with why greatness chose to dig its hands into him that day. For someone just a month removed from a heartbreaking runner-up finish at the PGA Championship, the victory lacked an echelon of emotion from Hovland.

Similar sentiments to that of Scottie Scheffler as he began climbing towards the top of the golf world last year. Or even as Jon Rahm powered up the rankings in the season’s opening stretch to let the golf world know he was the best on the planet.

Hovland never gave off the vibe of being the best on the planet. Even as he continued to show that he was, or even neared that level of status, Hovland continued to miss out on his memorable moment despite timelessly finding himself standing within it.

The moment the world remembers Rahm getting caught up in as he wiped the tears from his face on the 18th green at Augusta. Or even in the very same spot, while Scheffler hugged his wife Meredith to let everyone know he had arrived.

A moment of clarity and definition wrapped in one timeless image.

But Hovland continued to search.

Soon, the smile that was held captive in the opening major of 2023 managed to make the odd appearance every now and then, its contagious euphoria penetrating through the content grin imposed across the Norwegian's face.

As the end of the season neared, Hovland’s emotions began to unravel. The bottled-up feelings dwelling between his ears spilled through the cracks of his sentimental smirk, leaving behind a bright stain to sit atop his fluorescent array of polo shirts.

As a result, Hovland’s humbleness began to fade. The evolution of the game’s next big star took centre stage as the spotlight aligned a circle around the dance with his true self. Victor Hovland - the fun-seeking internal optimist oozing with confidence took shape. A success story not afraid of harnessing the moment and enjoying every single bit of it.

Quickly was the greedy alchemist born. His historic back nine at last month's BMW Championship secured him the status of being one of the very best. Yet as his putt dropped to hand himself the clubhouse lead over a trailing Scheffler, Hovland went back to the basics.

The familiar and ferocious fistpump, as well as the fallen fastened head quickly followed Hovland towards his golf ball as the crowd applauded his historic comeback. Seven birdies through his final nine holes, posting a 9-under 61. And yet, it still wasn't the right moment to show off his new identity to the fans.

But to the world, Hovland was content on unmasking himself to - and did so this past week at the Ryder Cup.

Up 4-0 on the American’s, Hovland hovered over his ball on the 18th green as the dust began to settle on the tournament's opening round. Locked in place, the world number one shifted into his backswing, made contact with the golf ball and watched it roll towards the vacant cup.

As it’s done so many times before in 2023, Hovland’s putt jockeyed the line, slowly moving from the inside of the cup to its adjacent exterior. Typical. Almost predictable from the Norwegian.

Yet as the putt neared the hole, Hovland moved to his left - no longer in the staggered position that he viewed his success from all season long. Hovland shuffled further to his left, cocked back his fist and shifted his putter to his right hand.

He was gone before the putt even dropped, head facing forward as he locked eyes with his friends and fans at Marco Simone. He trotted the green, punching the air as the fans roared to life.

In that brief moment, Hovland hovered. The 26-year old accepted that moment with open arms, squeezed it tight and never thought of giving it back. Never contemplated his worthiness of it or questioned the reason as to why it arrived.

He just owned it.

With his chest pumped out and his fist swinging throughout the thick Italian air, Hovland walked with his head glued to the gallery. On the 18th green, Hovland found himself, his moment, his mettle.

His confidence unhinged, and opened the doors to someone new.