Viktor Hovland two weeks in the past on the Genesis Invitational.
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Viktor Hovland is not sure what the long run of males’s professional golf seems to be like.
There, he’s not alone. You know the questions. What’s to turn into of the now-three-season-old struggle between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf? Which professional’s going the place? Who’s staying? Will LIV’s backer, the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund, and the Tour decide on a deal? Or not? What will come of the Tour’s billion-buck cope with a bunch of house owners from different sports activities? On and on.
That stated, there’s a part of golf within the right here and now that frustrates Hovland. The world’s fourth-ranked participant used labels corresponding to soulless. And unhappy.
Hovland was speaking this week with longtime teacher Claude Harmon III on Harmon’s podcast, Son of a Butch (which you’ll be able to listen to here), and towards the top, Hovland was requested a query he didn’t have a solution for, however he had ideas nonetheless. Harmon had questioned: Where did Hovland see golf heading?
He didn’t know.
But he was positive of this.
“Obviously the LIV is bringing in a lot of money to the sport and there’s a lot of competition, which I think is good,” Hovland started on the podcast. “But it appears to have been a response from the PGA Tour’s facet, that OK, we’re going to — it’s simply extra speak concerning the cash and I feel that’s a bit bit unhappy.
“Now, money is important and everyone needs to get paid accordingly, in a fair way, but I don’t think that needs to be like the driving force behind this, or the story every single week.”
So what ought to be?
Hovland’s reply began with a narrative — and he emphasised he meant no sick will towards the John Deere Classic. But say, he stated, that the JDC raised its winner’s prize to $6 million. It’d be nice, little question.
“But I’d much rather win a Memorial or a tournament like that,” stated Hovland, who final 12 months did win the Memorial.
Said Harmon: “Because the history and the golf course and Jack [Nicklaus] and something like that.”
Hovland agreed. To assist make the purpose, Harmon famous that Dustin Johnson, one of Harmon’s gamers and a professional who’s moved from the PGA Tour to LIV, was seen watching protection of the Tour’s Genesis Invitational performed at Riviera Country Club. Johnson received the occasion in 2017. It’s a monitor, Harmon stated, that he loves.
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Much like Hovland feels towards the Memorial, one of the Tour’s larger occasions, which is performed on one of the Tour’s higher tracks, Muirfield Village, and is hosted by Nicklaus, golf’s all-time main winner.
Hovland went again to his larger level.
“Yeah, and that’s the thing,” Hovland stated on the podcast. “You’re going to have those memories of winning that event, seeing kind of your name on that trophy and the history of all the names.”
Said Harmon: “Jack standing there when you walk off.”
Said Hovland: “Yeah, that’s fairly cool. Obviously the paycheck is good as nicely, however that’s — if that’s what you’re remembering by the top of the week, I form of — that feels a bit bit soulless, for my part.
“So, you understand, it’s, yeah. I don’t know what the trail ahead is, to be trustworthy. It’s been a bit unhappy, however I strive not to consider it an excessive amount of. It’s a bit comical, to be trustworthy, to see what’s happening within the sport of golf. But I hope there’s a decision sooner or later. Because on the finish of the day, I simply wish to compete at the very best golf programs, the very best event, towards the very best gamers.
“And it’s as simple as that. However that’s going to happen, I don’t know, but that’s what I would like to see.”
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