Viktor Hovland Player Profile And What's In The Bag

Article Updated - June 2023

On a day that proved to be too tough for Rory McIlroy, Norway’s Viktor Hovland handled the toughest stretch at Muirfield Village and delivered three clutch putts at the end to win the Memorial Tournament in a playoff over Denny McCarthy.

Hovland closed with a 2-under 70 on another brutal test on a course baked all week by sun, forcing the playoff with a 30-foot birdie on the 17th - the only one on that hole in the final round - and saving par from behind the 18th green.

Back to the 18th in the playoff, Hovland barely got onto the front of the green, some 60 feet away from the back pin, and two-putted by holing a 7-foot par putt.

It was his fourth PGA Tour victory, worth a $3.6 million winner's check and a handshake from host Jack Nicklaus.

• Player Profile
• Last 10 Events
• Key Stats
• World Ranking
• What's In The Bag

It was a crushing loss for McCarthy, one of the best putters in the game. He showed his touch by saving crucial pars and playing bogey-free on a day when the average score was just under 75. His only bogey came on the 18th hole - in regulation and again in the playoff.

McCarthy had a one-shot lead when he missed the 18th fairway to the left, pitched out to the fairway and narrowly missed a 25-foot par putt for the win. In the playoff, his shot from the right rough rolled back off the green some 50 yards away. He pitched to 12 feet and the putt caught the left edge and spun away.

“I'm heartbroken right now,” McCarthy said after his closest call to win on the PGA Tour in his 156th attempt.

This was a final day when so many went in reverse from the 22 players who had been separated by three shots at the start of the round.

McIlroy chipped in from below the fourth green for birdie and had the lead on the front nine, but he gave away far too many shots on the back - three bogeys in a row - for a 75 that took him out of the picture.

(Image Credit: Kevin Diss Photogaphy)

Player Profile

Hovland was born in September 18, 1997 in Oslo. He won the US Amateur in 2018 and then became the first Norwegian to win on the PGA Tour (at the 2020 Puerto Rico Open) and on the DP World Tour (at the 2021 BMW International Open). Hovland picked up his second and third PGA Tour wins at the 2020 and 2021 Mayakoba Classic. His victory at The Memorial is his fourth on the PGA Tour.

Hovland was the low amateur at The Masters in 2019, finishing three under par and in a tie for 32nd place. At the US Open in 2019 he finished in 12th place and was the low amateur with a total of 280, which was the lowest 72-hole score by an amateur at the US Open, breaking the record of 282 set by Jack Nicklaus in 1960.

He won the Dubai Desert Classic in 2022, which saw him climb to third in the world rankings. He has two wins on the DP World Tour. He represented Europe at the Ryder Cup in 2021.

Last 10 Events

The Memorial Tournament - 1st

Charles Schwab Challenge - T16th

US PGA Championship - T2nd

Wells Fargo Championship - T43rd

RBC Heritage - T59th

The Masters Tournament - T7th

WGC Dell Match Play - T31st

The Players Championship - T3rd

Arnold Palmer Invitational - T10th

The Genesis Invitational - T20th

Key Stats (PGA Tour: 22/23)

Driving Distance - 306.1 Yards

Driving Accuracy - 63.29%

Greens in Regulation - 66.30%

Sand Saves - 57.47%

Putts Per Round - 28.13

Scoring Average - 69.45

End of Year World Ranking Position

2020: 14

2021: 8

2022: 10

What's In Viktor Hovland's Golf Bag?

Driver: PING G425 LST (9 Degrees @8.4), Shaft: Fujikura Speeder TR 661 TX (45.75 Inches)

3-Wood: TaylorMade Stealth Plus (15 Degrees), Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 7 X

Irons: PING i210 (4-PW), Shafts: KBS Tour-V 120 X

Wedges: PING Glide 4.0 (50-12SS, 56-06SS), PING Glide 2.0 (58-12TS), Shafts: KBS Tour-V 130

Putter: PING PLD DS 72 Prototype

Ball: Titleist Pro V1