Victor Hovland ended a drought of 18-month victory, despite hitting some “disgusting strokes”.
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Do you believe in miracles?
Running in 2025 Valsspar championship This week, Victor Hovland Nor did he believe in himself.
Nearly 18 months have passed since his last PGA Tour victory, a period of disappointment marked by changes in his swing and coach, but little in his results.
When he rose to the first Tee on Thursday in the innisbrook copper course, the 27-year-old Norwegian star was fresh from three consecutive cuts lost and wrapped deepening self-deepening.
“When you don’t trust and you don’t believe you will play well, that’s quite difficult,” Hovland said.
It was Sunday afternoon, and Hovland was talking with cameras with the extraordinary tone of a man trying to wrap his head around what he had just come out.
Moments ago, with a knocking down to 18, he had completed a round 4-nine year old to seek his first victory Since the tournament in 2023. He won the BMW 2023 championship a week ago. His total on 11 under the week put him a clear blow from Justin Thomas, who had grown up in a three -shot stroke, but slipped the stretch while Hovland occupied two of his last three holes. Jacob Bridgeman ended in solo third, two outside the 9th rhythm.
“IT’S’S INDIVIDED TO SEE I can win,” Hovland said. “Because I honestly didn’t believe I could do it this week.”
Lack of his confidence was based on increasing evidence, including a disturbing show in the past week Championshipwhere he shot an 80 in the opening round. Fighting his mechanics and his opinion, Hovland was an 11th hour entrance to Valsspar.
“I wasn’t sure I would play or not until I got here on Tuesday afternoon and played a late nine holes,” he said. “I played nine holes in the pro-am the next morning and we were here ready to go.”
A kind ready, anyway.
In a narrow course, lined with trees ranking among the most difficult places in the tournament, Hovland bowed to his iron game to overcome a non-constant driver-“I’m still hitting many disgusting shots,” he said-and slammed his way into a 54-year-old tie. Even then, he was not sure what to expect Sunday.
“I really didn’t know,” Hovland said. “I just tried to go out there and play my game and I knew I wasn’t feeling super comfortable or safe, but I was really patient and just tried to play really smart and I think it’s a kind of loan this week is that I almost felt like I was playing this week as a veteran, like I was here for 20 years.”
At the beginning of the finale found, another tour of the tour, Thomas, made a run. After three birds were pulled to the front, the big champion twice continued to roll on the back. Since 2016, Thomas has 15 wins tour, more than any player other than Rory Mcilroy. But he has joined a drought of his victory. His latest title came in 2022 at the Championship PGA. However, in the 15th hole on Sunday, it seemed as if that dry magic was destined to end when Thomas Drenoi another bird (seventh of his day) to extend his supremacy over Hovland to three.
But then the snake pit came, the narrow narrow stretch of copper. The wrong trees from Thomas at 16 and 18 led to Bogeys in both holes. Playing in the back group, Hovland struck a dead eye access to 16 for Birdie, followed by another researcher for a rare “2” in 222-Oborr par-3. When Thomas Bogeyed 18, Hovland had a two -stroke pillow with a hole to play.
In golf, it’s not just what happens. It’s also how you see it. Thomas said he saw mostly positive.
“I get very well, way, way more than bad,” he said. “It doesn’t suck by winning when you’re so close and having a great chance, but I just hope to put yourself in the same position in Augusta and finish it better.”
Hovland looked less secure. Was he looking at the dark clouds or a silver lining?
On the one hand, the victory “definitely helps,” he said. On the other hand, “Likes like some of the shooting I’m hitting, it will make it really difficult for me to be in Augusta if I don’t correct that problem.”
