We’d wish to welcome reigning FedExCup champion Viktor Hovland on the 2024 TOUR Championship. You’re coming in right here at No. 17 off of some stable weeks in Memphis and Denver. Are you able to give us some feedback on the state of your sport heading into East Lake this week.
VIKTOR HOVLAND: Yeah, I really feel like issues are getting higher each single week, in order that’s good to construct on. Clearly I had a very nice week in Memphis and performed okay final week. I simply couldn’t get something going with my putter.
I’d fairly play dangerous if I putted poorly as a substitute of hitting it throughout Denver. I’m taking some good issues into this week. Clearly a totally totally different golf course, so sort of need to spend a while getting used to the brand new golf course, however nonetheless simply sort of engaged on the identical processes, and hopefully it clicks a bit of bit higher this week.
Q. You’re making your fifth consecutive begin right here at East Lake and the newly restored golf course is high of thoughts. Can we get some feedback on that and what it’s like? I heard you performed the entrance yesterday.
I solely performed the entrance yesterday, and simply as quickly as I walked on the property, I used to be sort of shocked. It seems nothing prefer it used to. Looks as if he’s mainly modified each single gap on the market. It was simply sort of wild how a lot you may really change the holes with not likely transferring holes round. It’s all sort of in the identical place, however but not one of the holes look precisely the identical.
I may in all probability attempt to describe an individual that’s by no means been right here earlier than what it used to appear like, and it’s nearly like you may’t think about it.
It’ll be attention-grabbing to sort of get used to it, that’s for positive.
Q. What was the largest change out right here that received your consideration? What gap?
Nicely, No. 1 was like — I began off of 1, so once I noticed 1, I’m like, wow, that is utterly totally different. It’s approach longer.
I believe the inexperienced areas — as quickly as I noticed the inexperienced areas, that was like, okay, wow, that is going to be a totally totally different golf course as a result of now you’ve large undulating greens with huge runoffs, and as a substitute of getting tight Bermuda across the greens, you’ve actually, actually tight zoysia. It’s simply going to play utterly totally different.
I felt like the remainder of the course was sort of indicative of what I noticed on No. 1.
Q. What did you consider 9?
I believe it seems effective, however I additionally thought what it was once was effective, as properly. I believe perhaps it was getting a bit of bit too extreme in the direction of the again portion of the outdated inexperienced, however now with the greens being so agency and if you happen to put the tees all the best way within the again, these left gap areas, I’m unsure you may even cease it there.
I believe you may need to place the tee ahead on that gap. However yeah, I believed it was okay. It wasn’t my favourite gap.
Q. From a method standpoint, are the adjustments extra off the tee and having to vary your traces or across the greens? You talked about among the chipping areas.
One of many issues — I wouldn’t say East Lake ever had loads of technique off the tee earlier than. It was at all times sort of tree-lined fairways, slim fairways, and also you had an occasional bunker right here and there. However normally it’s simply sort of — you both hit driver or 3-wood, and it’s a must to hit it straight.
I actually do recognize that sort of golf as a result of I believe timber actually add quite a bit to the technique of the golf course.
However at the very least right here when he’s taken away so many timber, you actually have to emphasise the technique portion of it or else it simply turns into a bombing-fest the place everybody hits driver.
And I do assume Andrew has executed an incredible job with positioning sure bunkers in there. You actually need to assume, okay, properly, if I wish to cowl this bunker, I’ve to fret concerning the subsequent bunker and how much angle I’m getting in there and all that stuff. I believe he’s executed a reasonably good job with that.
Q. Do you just like the adjustments? And the way do you’re taking it as that is the course to resolve the FedExCup? Does that assist it, damage it?
I believe if I might have proven — now, talking in thoughts I haven’t been to the again 9 but, I’ve solely seen the entrance 9, but when the entrance 9 is sort of indicative to the again, then I might say if I confirmed up right here and I’d by no means seen the golf course earlier than, then I might say, yeah, seems fairly good. It’s a reasonably good golf course. Appears fairly laborious, as properly.
However simply from being right here 4 or 5 occasions earlier than and simply remembering what it was once, I simply assume it was a far more sort of simplistic golf course earlier than, nevertheless it was nonetheless — it was easy nevertheless it was very, superb. I’m nonetheless a bit of bit biased in the direction of what it was once.
However I perceive the entire look of the golf course, as quickly as I stepped foot right here and noticed the inexperienced areas and stuff, I believed, okay, this can be a main championship golf course. That looks like what he’s tried to do with the place.
In my coronary heart, it’s like, East Lake was by no means — it by no means had that look, and it’s such a historic place. It’s like, ought to we actually attempt to make East Lake appear like a significant championship golf course. That’s sort of the one place I’m at. However I don’t assume he’s executed a nasty job. It’s simply the type of it.
Q. Final week you have been the defending champion at a very totally different course in a unique state. This time you’re on the similar course. However do you’re feeling such as you’re defending at a unique course?
It’s nearly the identical state of affairs as final week it appears like. Yeah, simply each single gap is totally different. It’s going to take a barely totally different sport to play properly this week in comparison with what it was once final 12 months.
Q. Do you’ve a way of what a profitable rating might be?
I’d need to see the again first, however I believe it’s positively going to be more durable. It relies upon additionally the place you place a few of these pins at as a result of I used to be a few potential pin areas, and for instance, on 2 once you tuck the pin to the suitable there simply over the bunkers — as a result of the greens are so agency, nobody goes to go for the pin.
However in the course of the inexperienced you’ve a slope that’s proper to left. So the place you wish to hit it, you’re hitting good photographs center of the inexperienced, however then the ball slopes away from the pin.
I don’t know the place the sure pin areas are going to be, however you might make this place very tough.
Q. How would you evaluate your sport this week versus the way you felt coming in right here final 12 months?
Nicely, if final 12 months was a 9 out of 10, I’d in all probability say we’re nonetheless at a 5, 5 out of 10, 4, 5 out of 10 proper now. I do know I can nonetheless shoot good numbers, nevertheless it simply feels prefer it’s a bit of bit extra laborious work. It’s harder for me to sort of string the great rounds collectively day-to-day.
Final 12 months I performed properly. I knew I performed properly. Each single day was day. Whereas now it simply appears like a bit of bit extra laborious work. However at the very least I’m heading in the right direction.
Q. On No. 1 at this time, what did you hit into the inexperienced, having hit a driver off the tee? Was it totally different from final 12 months? In that case, what was the membership, and what similarities or variations did you see on the holes that you just performed?
So final 12 months — yesterday once I performed, I didn’t actually heat up. I simply went straight to the primary tee. However I hit a very nice drive and it was barely into the wind, and I attempted to hit a 6-iron going into the inexperienced and I nonetheless left it in need of the opening.
For me, in all probability the suitable membership would have been drive and 5-iron right into a slight breeze yesterday. Whereas final 12 months we have been hitting driver, wedge on that gap. That’s a fairly large distinction, particularly right into a inexperienced that’s uphill. It’s blind. It’s an enormous inexperienced. You don’t essentially know all of the slopes and the place to land it.
As for similarities, I don’t —
Q. Aside from No. 1, are there totally different distances you have been hitting your method photographs on different holes on the entrance aspect?
I might say they’re pretty comparable. Just like the par-5, sixth was a bit of bit totally different as a result of it’s a dogleg proper now, so it was a driver, 4-iron in there, however I’ve hit driver, 4-iron in there previously, as properly. Not too loopy totally different on the remaining holes.
Q. We all know this 12 months was sort of a curler coaster for you, however how do you consider your efficiency all year long, match outcomes? Do you even take a look at that, or are you basing every thing off of really feel and the way your swing is feeling?
I wouldn’t say I’ve been very pleased with this 12 months, however I do assume I’ve discovered quite a bit. What’s actually cool is that I’ve nonetheless made it to this week enjoying what I felt like is absolute rubbish. I believe that’s one thing that’s fairly cool to sort of have in my again pocket is that okay, we will battle and we will nonetheless come out right here and have an opportunity to win tournaments.
I believe that’s actually cool. That’s sort of how I’m processing this. Yeah, I’ll sit down by the top of the 12 months and actually take a look at the entire course of the 12 months. However I really feel like I do a reasonably good job of that, of analyzing every week as they go, so I do know the place I’m at.
It’s not like I’ve to play three months in a row and go, what did I do the final three months. I’m at all times sort of current and analyzing what’s happening.
I’m simply pleased we’re transferring in the suitable route.
Q. Within the low season what is going to you do along with your time principally?
I don’t know. We’ll see. I’d positively wish to follow a bit of bit extra and sort of actually combine a few of these adjustments or the trail that I’m transferring on. I actually wish to be sure that we’re solidifying that path and it’s headed to route in order that for 2025 I’m able to go and simply get after it.
Q. Alongside these traces, what a part of you was happy or upset popping out of Memphis, realizing that you just have been properly exterior and also you have been fairly locked into right here? I can’t think about this was written in ink, being right here this 12 months.
VIKTOR HOVLAND: No, it wasn’t. Clearly what Hideki did, birdie-birdie end, I might have favored to have completed a bit of bit higher, however I couldn’t be very upset. After being 2-over par after 15 holes on Thursday after which having an opportunity to win the golf match with a pair holes left, that clearly — as a substitute of simply attempting to make it into Denver, I used to be already locked up right here.
I imply, I used to be tremendous pumped simply to come back again and switch a reasonably dangerous 12 months into an okay 12 months, making it right here.
I’m simply sort of pumped that the curve is trending upwards, and I’ve simply received to journey that wave and preserve it going.
Q. Subsequent 12 months goes to be our fourth 12 months in a row of doing Memphis, rotating BMW after which East Lake. Are you okay with that, or would you wish to see a bit of extra selection within the put up season?
I believe it’s fairly cool sort of going again to the identical locations. I believe TPC Southwind is a superb golf course. I’ve at all times been a fan of East Lake, so sort of having two comparable — or the identical stops out of the three — I believe BMW is a cool one to rotate round, and we’ve been to some superb locations the few years that I’ve performed that occasion.
I believe it really works, but when the followers wish to see elsewhere, perhaps that ought to be one thing to have a look at, however I additionally assume it really works. We go to Augusta yearly, and I don’t assume folks complain about that.
Yeah, I believe it really works.
