PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

May 16, 2022

Viktor Hovland

Southern Hills Country Club

Flash Quotes

JULIUS MASON: Viktor Hovland is joining us at the 104th PGA Championship and he is playing in his third PGA Championship. Oklahoma is your home, Viktor, and you are a resident of Stillwater.

How often or how many times have you played Southern Hills?

VIKTOR HOVLAND: I played it for the first time in college. We played the Big 12s out here my sophomore year, and then I never played it anytime else until they redid it, and I probably played it five, six times since then, and mostly those rounds have been last couple months.

JULIUS MASON: And how does it fit your eye?

VIKTOR HOVLAND: I think it's good. I remember there being a lot more trees the first time I came here. They have added a bunch of length and they have made it a little bit more open, but at the same time you still have to drive it really well out here. So from that aspect, I feel like it fits me really well. There's no real faking it.

But you have to have a lot of good short game shots around greens because it's all fairway around the green. It's not just like rough if you miss the greens. So I think that kind of allows you to use some creativity around the greens.

JULIUS MASON: Did you have to fill a lot of ticket requests this week?

VIKTOR HOVLAND: We're working on it. I'm trying to please all my buddies so we'll see.

Q. Is there a stretch on the course either one direction or the other where you think it will be decided, either chance to go low, maybe 10 through 13, or a stretch where you really have to hold on? What do you think are going to be the keys to really manage your game and for everybody this week?

VIKTOR HOVLAND: Yeah, it's a good question. I haven't given that much thought to be honest. But definitely 10 through 13, if you get hot, you can make some birdies there. But I feel like the course is kind of like that. If you hit two good shots on the tough par 4, you can make a birdie.

But at the same time, you don't have to be very far off to make bogeys, and I think the whole course is kind of like that. So certain situations you can be pretty aggressive and go for that birdie, and maybe some other holes you might just try to play to the middle of green and give yourself a stress-free par.

It's going to depend. I think you can get on some hot runs, anywhere on the golf course, and then you can really make some bogeys this week as well if you're not on your game.

Q. You mentioned the four or five times you've been here recently. Has it been a progressive learning process each time? Have you figured out more and more stuff about the course?

VIKTOR HOVLAND: I would say so. I haven't messed around too much with strategy, but the interesting thing with this golf course is you have so many different tee boxes. I at least try to play different tee boxes every single time I've been here.

One thing that's kind of been the biggest difference is the last few weeks when I have been here, they have kind of top-dressed the greens and they have been very soft just to protect the greens headed into this week. I think that's the thing that I have to get used to the most, just seeing the ball bounce a little bit firmer, roll off some of the greens that it didn't the last couple times I was here. I think that's kind of the biggest difference.

Q. How nice was it to just come up the road for a major championship?

VIKTOR HOVLAND: Yeah, it's a little bit weird. You know, living in Stillwater, it kind of feels like you're away from the PGA Tour a little bit. You get to relax, which is very nice. I like that aspect of it. But it's kind of weird just driving an hour away from Stillwater and then suddenly you're here at Southern Hills and playing a major championship.

So it's a little different, but it makes me feel comfortable.

Q. Obviously in 2018 at Karsten, you saw the OSU fan base turn out for a big event. How much are you expecting when it comes to the orange in the gallery this week?

VIKTOR HOVLAND: Yeah, obviously Tulsa is maybe a neutral ground with the Sooners and the Pokes, but I already heard a lot of "go Pokes" in the gallery today. I just finished playing the front nine, and seems like that's a lot of support out there which I really appreciate. Hopefully that can get me going.

Q. You mentioned that around the greens, you've got to be creative, and obviously your chipping numbers are not what you want them to be. Where does that factor in here? Is that good that you need to be creative? Is that something that you feel that you are better than conventional chipping?

VIKTOR HOVLAND: I would say probably statistically, it probably doesn't help me very much. I think statistically I'm actually a pretty decent chipper out of the rough so that would play more into my hands.

I feel like I've really gotten better the last few weeks of chipping off of tighter lies, and obviously I would say when it's tight fairways around the greens, it lends itself to a better short game because you can maybe take on a few more shots than you wouldn't have if you don't have the best short game.

But at the same time, you take on too much, the penalty is also there. So there's a lot of variables in that.

Q. You've played once since the Masters, and that was a team event. Did you make good use of your time off, and are you 100 percent sharp coming into this after a three-week layoff?

VIKTOR HOVLAND: Yeah, I would say I spent the last three weeks really well. I was not very happy with my game the last few weeks. Not that it was that far off, but I was just doing a few more dumb mistakes than I normally do.

So I was pretty motivated to get to work, and the last three weeks have been really good. I feel like my game is in a way better place. But at the same time, there's always stuff to work on, but I feel like my game is good enough to really contend this week, and yeah, I wouldn't be surprised if I get off to a nice start and play well this week.

Q. The last few weeks, even going into the Masters, including the Masters, is that where you meant you weren't happy with your game?

VIKTOR HOVLAND: Overall, the last three or four tournaments that I've played, you know, could obviously get better. But that's golf sometimes. It goes up and down.

Q. What do you think it will be like when we start on Thursday and you get to the 3rd hole and you've got guys maybe on the 6th tee and you're on the 7th and you've got guys coming in on 6, that whole area there, what are you anticipating?

VIKTOR HOVLAND: To be really slow. Just depends where they put the tee boxes. I was very surprised to see the tee box on 3 moved all the way back there. Normally when I play here, I play on the tee box right across creek.

I mean, depending on where you put the tee on 6, it doesn't really interfere that much. You still probably have to wait a little bit. But especially that corner could be really slow. So depends if they are playing it all the way back on all of those holes at the same time, then it could potentially be really slow, but if they mix up on maybe one of those holes, they put it up, then I don't think it could be as bad. But I guess we'll figure it out.

Q. What do you think will happen on 7? Do you wait for a guy? If it's moving slowly, if you will, do you wait for someone to hit in so you don't hear a thud and a cheer before you hit? How does that work?

VIKTOR HOVLAND: Yeah, I would certainly do that. You don't want to be thinking over the ball that, oh, is the ball going to land now, or now, or now? So you kind of want to get that out of the way and get ready for your shot.

I'm sure the player on the tee would maybe communicate with a guy back on 6 tee to make sure he was going. But then that makes it go pretty slow. So we'll see how that goes.

Q. Talor Gooch was in here a little while ago and he said he feels pretty comfortable here. Part of it is location, but he said, If the wind picks up some, I'll be even more comfortable. Would you like to see wind this week?

VIKTOR HOVLAND: Sure. I've been here the last three weeks and it's been really windy here. I feel like I've got a good advantage for that low shot. I'm very comfortable with that even into some of the greens, especially off the tee.

The only thing with this golf course is that I mainly play Karsten Creek and the greens are usually fairly soft and the greens sit a little bit lower, not like these greens where they are all tiered up.

So the when the greens are teed up and the wind starts blowing, you can't really hit it too low because you just won't be able to stop it on the green. So that's what really makes this course hard if the wind starts pumping. But the harder it gets, I usually like that. So I wouldn't mind that.

Q. Talor told us there's pressure here with the fans but not as much pressure as playing for a National Championship and disappointing the coach. What is the pressure comparison for you right now this week?

VIKTOR HOVLAND: Comparing it to the National Championship in 2018, that was a lot of pressure, I thought. We had an amazing season just leading into that tournament, and we knew there was going to be a lot of orange watching us play and kind of expecting us to do well. So that was a lot of pressure.

It's a little bit different when it's not a team event. The fans, if you will, they have plenty of guys to root for out here. I think we have five in the field this week. I think I just see it as a positive. They are out there wanting you to do well, and they will cheer you on if you hit a good shot, and if you're in a bad spot they will try to encourage you.

That's all positive in that way.

The National Championship was more like, we need to play well for the fans, so it's a little different situation.

Q. Another one of those Cowboys is a fellow Scandinavian as well. How much did you know of Alex Noren before coming to Oklahoma State, and what's the relationship been like now that you're a colleague with him now essentially on the Tour?

VIKTOR HOVLAND: Yeah, not to talk down on him by any means, but when I came to Oklahoma State, I didn't really know Alex went to Oklahoma State because they just had so many guys.

But no, I've become really good friends with Alex. He's a great guy and played a couple practice rounds together. Yeah, he actually called me yesterday and we just talked about maybe getting dinner in Stillwater and something like that.

It's cool to have a couple of those guys that don't live in Oklahoma but went to Oklahoma State to come back here and just talk about some of the great memories that we've had here.

Q. What are your thoughts on this tournament being without its defending champion, and conversely, Tiger Woods rocking up to give it another go this week?

VIKTOR HOVLAND: Yeah, I mean, it's a bizarre situation, that's for sure. It's not often the defending Major Champion doesn't come back to defend. The only moment I can remember was when Rory got injured. So it's certainly a weird situation.

I think we all would have liked to have Phil here and tee it up and see how he would have done. The tournament -- or the way that he won it last year was pretty spectacular. So you know, it's just a weird situation.

Q. And what about Tiger coming back to give it another go here?

VIKTOR HOVLAND: Yeah, I mean, just watching him at the Masters, that was unreal, just the crowds, and what it does to a tournament when he tees it up.

I'm sure he's going to tee it up this week as well, and yeah, I mean, just getting used to big crowds, loud crowds, and hopefully both of us could be in the mix come Sunday.

Q. You're having the best putting year of your career, gaining half a shot in 2022. What have you changed with your putting and what are you working on?

VIKTOR HOVLAND: So last year, I started with Jeff Smith and we started to work on AimPoint. So that's been the biggest thing for me. I've always had a very consistent stroke. Might not be perfect, but if you can start the ball on line and do that consistently, you know, you're doing all right.

But my thing was just, I really had a hard time reading greens. One week I could get really hot and just see the lines really well and the next week I just had no chance. And AimPoint has just really given me a system, a system that doesn't work every time, but it at least gives me, you know, framework that's a lot tighter. So that's really helped me.

Yeah, and then it's just getting comfortable out here playing tournaments where you're playing on firm greens, fast greens. You know, growing up in Norway, you don't really do that a whole lot. So it's just getting more reps in is also a part of it.

Q. I'm wondering if one major is going to open up the floodgates, because you've not played as well in those, but do you think your personality or game would maybe have it turn out that way?

VIKTOR HOVLAND: I would hope so. You know, hopefully I win this week and it's just the start of many.

But I don't try to think that way. It's all about just trying to get better, and I feel like I'm on a very good trajectory. I've gotten a lot better since I first turned pro, and if I just keep doing the things that I need to do and get better, you know, I'm going to hopefully win some events. You know, sometimes you can play great and not win a tournament. So there's a little bit of luck involved as well and I just try to control the things that I can control.

Q. If you go back to when you left O State, and you've had a very wonderful start to your career, as has Collin and Jordan Spieth before you, as a college player getting ready to turn pro, can you identify some of the people you're competing against in college and tell whether they are going to be successful tour players?

VIKTOR HOVLAND: That's a great question because it's one of those things that I like to talk to a lot of the guys that I played with on the team at Oklahoma State, and even some of my peers that are maybe not on the PGA Tour, maybe playing mini-tours or different tours.

I used to when I was in school, I thought it was all about just talent, technique. So I would watch someone and I would see them, okay, he's got a 182 ball speed, hits it straight, a good putter, can hit it high, can hit it low; okay, he looks like the real deal, he's going to do well and then you maybe see that person don't do as well.

I think there's a lot more in your mind, you know, personality traits, just how you handle pressure. Okay, you can hit a 182 ball speed on the golf course or on the range, you look great there, but do you have ownership of your game, do you know what you're doing. If you're in a situation where no one has really taught you that scenario, can you really figure that out and perform at your best. That's essentially what it boils down to.

That's a hard question to answer. I don't think you can really know from the outside just looking at a person. But sure, you need certain -- you need a skill set to be able to be successful. But I think there's an X-factor, if you will, in your mind, and kind of how you handle things.

Q. You had talent and you had technique. Did you know that you were going to be successful out here and if so, why?

VIKTOR HOVLAND: Actually, no. I just never really felt like I was that good. In college, I was just like, okay, I don't hit it that far, I'm a streaky putter, my short game is average but I hit it really straight, and hit kind of a low cut and I knew where it went and I could shoot pretty good scores.

But I was looking at other guys like, oh, can't really do that; can't really do that; oh, that was a sick shot, I haven't hit that before. But I've always just focused on getting better, and you know, whereas other guys, maybe they think they have all the tools or maybe psyche themselves out or become complacent.

I'm always trying to get better, and the better you get, you know, you start to believe things a little bit more. But I would say when I won the U.S. Amateur it kind of became, you know, I started believing in myself a little bit more, and I had a great junior year in college before I turned pro.

And then it was always the sense, like in college, you know, okay, I'm beating a lot of college kids, but the PGA Tour players, they are the next level. They do everything perfect, but then I started realizing, they actually don't do it perfect, but they are still pretty good and they just manage it really well, and that's kind of the most important thing.

Q. Is there a word in Norway for X-factor?

VIKTOR HOVLAND: No, it's basically the same thing, yeah.

Q. So I'm going to do one in English and the same in Norwegian. Can you remind us of the connection with Norway and Oklahoma? So what brought you here, and after your experience, what things here as a Norwegian makes you feel comfortable and what things in Norway would make an Oklahoman feel comfortable?

VIKTOR HOVLAND: Yeah, obviously for me it was really cool to go to Oklahoma State with, you know, with ties to Karsten Solheim, who is from Bergen, Norway. In a sense, Oklahoma, Stillwater, is really far from Norway. It's really not that similar at all, but to have that kind of tie and have a bunch of Scandinavian players playing for Oklahoma State, and I was lucky to have Kristoffer Ventura as a teammate when I came to school here just kind of making it feel really comfortable.

It's just a really simple lifestyle in Stillwater and you have great people around you. It's just kind of you feel comfortable. That's kind of the key word.

I don't even know where I'm going to start with comparing Oslo to Stillwater. I'm from a big city in Norway, but it doesn't quite have that feel. Whereas Stillwater is a really small town, but then again, it doesn't quite feel that small, either. So I don't know, it's kind of weird, you have to check it out for yourself.

JULIUS MASON: Thank you for spending some time with us today, Viktor. Good luck this week.