Thursday marks the start of this year’s second major golf tournament, the PGA Championship, which will take place this year in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Norwegian golf group Victor Hovland is, as usual, among the names mentioned among the potential winners, and the 24-year-old is stepping up his own form before entering the tournament.
Meet the Press: Victor Hovland before the PGA Championship. Photo: SNTV
– I haven’t been very happy with my game in the past few weeks. Not that it’s too far fetched, but I’ve made some stupider mistakes than I usually do. So I was very motivated to stand up, and the past three weeks have been pretty good. My game seems to be better now, Hovland said in his press conference on Tuesday.
There are always things to work on, but I wouldn’t be surprised if you started well and played well this week.
conversation topic
Hovland is revenge week after finishing 30th in the championship last year. Even with so many titles under his belt, he still awaits the big redemptive victory in one of the major tournaments.
Before the first fights are fought on Thursday, though, something completely different matters to most people, and that is the one who excels in his absence.
Phil Mickelson, who won last year in a stunning fashion and became the biggest winner ever in a major golf tournament, is not competing.
Historic: Phil Mickelson with the trophy after winning the PGA Championship in 2021. Photo: Stacey River
– It’s an odd situation, Hovland said in his press conference before he hits Thursday.
– It’s not often that a pregnant big champ doesn’t come back to defend the title. I just remember what happened when Rory was injured. So it’s a really strange situation.
Double standards?
Mickelson is in self-imposed quarantine after he sparked indignation with statements about Saudi Arabia, regarding the creation of a golf tournament competing for the PGA Tour.
He wanted to push for change at the highest level of golf in the world, while collaborating with a country he agrees has a terrible human rights history.
He received intense criticism for this, but he nonetheless indicated that he wanted to participate in the London tournament that would start the new “Premier League” in golf.
In a year, Mickelson went from being famous and popular to being very unpopular.
– I think we all would like Phil to be here to see how he can do it. Hovland says the way he won last year was amazing.
“Infuriatingly humble internet trailblazer. Twitter buff. Beer nerd. Bacon scholar. Coffee practitioner.”
