On paper Viktor Hovland is one of the more prolific drivers in the game, ranking sixth in strokes gained/off-the-tee last season on the PGA Tour. In profile, at 178 centimetres and 75 kilograms, Hovland looks more like a Formula 1 driver than long-drive contestant.
At least, that used to be the case. Now we don’t know what to believe.
During the first round of the Shriners Children’s Open, the PGA Tour Live crew was infatuated with Hovland’s seemingly new look.
“You think we’re seeing a bit more chest muscle here on Viktor?” one of the announcers crooned. “He’s been hitting the weights a little bit?”
“That, or just showing off maybe,” replied another broadcaster. “His back is a little bit more defined, isn’t it?”
Hovland’s play certainly fit the bill of a new-and-improved physique, turning in a four-under 67 at TPC Summerlin. Of course, the golf world just saw Hovland two weeks ago at the Ryder Cup, where the Norwegian looked, well, like he’s always looked. While sports science continues to push the limits of what we believe the body can achieve… that is one short transformation window.
Still, the broadcast analysis begged the question to Hovland afterwards, and Hovland did not disappoint.
“The JL, I call it they have the auto-jack shirt, they just fit around the arms so they look huge, even though they’re really small,” Hovland said. “But, no, I have been working out a little bit, but, yeah,” he laughed.
Auto-jack. And here we’ve been calling it a s-medium for all these years.
So, mystery solved. Although here’s hoping the PGA Tour Live crew makes this a running joke the rest of the long, long season.
PHOTO: Alex Goodlett
