Viktor Hovland was not shy when he spoke about the management of the PGA Tour, and if he would be the next big thing to come to LIV golf.
Hovland said, during a podcast with “Fore” in Norway that he “doubts that” you’ll see him go LIV like Jon Rahm did recently for an obscenely large amount of guaranteed cash, but that he “totally understands why he left.”
It would be silly to criticize players who leave. Hovland, in Norwegian, said that you hear only one side of the story in the media. But there are many different things happening simultaneously here. Eurosport Norway translated the quotes. “I completely understand why he went. It’s a huge amount of money.
Hovland began his remarks on the Tour management by saying, “Just so you know, I am not complaining about my position, and I am very grateful for all that I have.”
But then came the “but… ”
“The management did not do a good job.” The players are almost seen as a source of labor and not members. We are the PGA Tour. “Without the players, nothing exists,” he added. “When you see behind closed doors how management makes decisions that are not in players’ best interests, but are best for them and what they believe is best,… They aren’t professional golfers at all.” “They are businessmen that say ‘no’, it should be this way or that. There is a lot of arrogance in the background.”
Viktor Hovland walks with Rory McIlroy up the 15th Fairway during the final round at the BMW Championship Golf Tournament. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Sabau-USA TODAY Sports
Hovland has been associated with LIV since a long time. The world’s No. 4 is 26 years old, and has the majority of his career ahead of him. Greg Norman is a clear target. The world No. Norman would join Matt Wolff, a former Oklahoma State teammate, and the vast pool of former Cowboys including Charles Howell III. Hovland said that the LIV format wasn’t for him. This should be taken lightly, given that Rahm had essentially said the same thing prior to changing his mind.
“I don’t believe their product is all that great.” Hovland stated that he was not a big fan of playing without a break, for instance. Three of Hovland’s first six starts will likely be without a cut. “You’ll need a competition of 150 players with a cut. You’re out if you don’t perform well enough. It makes you play a little better. I don’t believe I would have improved my golf game if I had attended LIV. Then, it’s a bit of a closed discussion.”
Espen Blaker asked: “So we won’t be able to see Viktor Hovland in the LIV Tour right away?”
Hovland ruled out the possibility: “No, that’s doubtful,” he replied.
Hovland is committed to several early-season PGA Tour tournaments, including the Sentry, which will be held in two weeks, as well as the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and the WM Phoenix Open.
Saudi Arabia’s PIF and the PGA Tour, which fund LIV, are engaged in intensive negotiations to reach a deal by December 31, deadline for its framework agreement.
Hovland competed in majors in the last two seasons. He played in the final pairings at the 2022 British Open and 2023 Masters, as well as the 2023 PGA Championship where he placed second. He has since won the Memorial, the BMW Championship, and the Tour Championship, which ended the season, to win the FedEx Cup.
Before publication, a call to Hovland’s agent Sam MacNaughton was not returned.
