We’d prefer 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 recreation 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 quite play unhealthy if I putted poorly as an alternative of hitting it throughout Denver. I’m taking some good issues into this week. Clearly a very completely different golf course, so form of need to spend a while getting used to the brand new golf course, however nonetheless simply form of engaged on the identical processes, and hopefully it clicks a bit bit higher this week.
Q. You’re making your fifth consecutive begin right here at East Lake and the newly restored golf course is prime 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 form of shocked. It seems nothing prefer it used to. Looks like he’s mainly modified each single gap on the market. It was simply form of wild how a lot you possibly can really change the holes with not likely transferring holes round. It’s all form of in the identical place, however but not one of the holes look precisely the identical.
I might most likely attempt to describe an individual that’s by no means been right here earlier than what it used to seem like, and it’s nearly like you possibly can’t think about it.
It’ll be attention-grabbing to form of get used to it, that’s for positive.
Q. What was the largest change out right here that obtained your consideration? What gap?
Effectively, No. 1 was like — I began off of 1, so after I noticed 1, I’m like, wow, that is fully completely different. It’s method longer.
I feel the inexperienced areas — as quickly as I noticed the inexperienced areas, that was like, okay, wow, that is going to be a very completely different golf course as a result of now you’ve gotten enormous undulating greens with huge runoffs, and as an alternative of getting tight Bermuda across the greens, you’ve gotten actually, actually tight zoysia. It’s simply going to play fully completely different.
I felt like the remainder of the course was form of indicative of what I noticed on No. 1.
Q. What did you consider 9?
I feel it seems fantastic, however I additionally thought what it was was fantastic, as nicely. I feel possibly it was getting a bit bit too extreme in the direction of the again portion of the outdated inexperienced, however now with the greens being so agency and in the event you put the tees all the best way within the again, these left gap places, I’m undecided you possibly can even cease it there.
I feel you might need to place the tee ahead on that gap. However yeah, I assumed it was okay. It wasn’t my favourite gap.
Q. From a method standpoint, are the modifications extra off the tee and having to alter 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 numerous technique off the tee earlier than. It was all the time form of tree-lined fairways, slim fairways, and also you had an occasional bunker right here and there. However normally it’s simply form of — you both hit driver or 3-wood, and you need to hit it straight.
I actually do recognize that form of golf as a result of I feel bushes actually add loads to the technique of the golf course.
However a minimum of right here when he’s taken away so many bushes, 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 completed an excellent job with positioning sure bunkers in there. You actually need to assume, okay, nicely, if I need to cowl this bunker, I’ve to fret concerning the subsequent bunker and what sort of angle I’m getting in there and all that stuff. I feel he’s completed a reasonably good job with that.
Q. Do you just like the modifications? And the way do you’re taking it as that is the course to resolve the FedExCup? Does that assist it, damage it?
I feel if I’d 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 form of indicative to the again, then I’d say if I confirmed up right here and I’d by no means seen the golf course earlier than, then I’d say, yeah, seems fairly good. It’s a reasonably good golf course. Appears fairly arduous, as nicely.
However simply from being right here 4 or 5 occasions earlier than and simply remembering what it was, I simply assume it was a far more form of simplistic golf course earlier than, but it surely was nonetheless — it was easy but it surely was very, excellent. I’m nonetheless a bit bit biased in the direction of what it was.
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 assumed, okay, it is 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 seem like a significant championship golf course. That’s form of the one place I’m at. However I don’t assume he’s completed a foul job. It’s simply the fashion of it.
Q. Final week you had been the defending champion at a very completely different course in a distinct state. This time you’re on the similar course. However do you are feeling such as you’re defending at a distinct course?
It’s nearly the identical state of affairs as final week it looks like. Yeah, simply each single gap is completely different. It’s going to take a barely completely different recreation to play nicely this week in comparison with what it was final yr.
Q. Do you’ve gotten a way of what a successful rating could possibly be?
I’d need to see the again first, however I feel it’s undoubtedly going to be tougher. 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 places, and for instance, on 2 if 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 midst of the inexperienced you’ve gotten a slope that’s proper to left. So the place you need 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 places are going to be, however you could possibly make this place very tough.
Q. How would you examine your recreation this week versus the way you felt coming in right here final yr?
Effectively, if final yr was a 9 out of 10, I’d most likely 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, but it surely simply feels prefer it’s a bit bit extra arduous work. It’s more durable for me to form of string the great rounds collectively day-to-day.
Final yr I performed nicely. I knew I performed nicely. Each single day was a great day. Whereas now it simply looks like a bit bit extra arduous work. However a minimum of I’m heading in the right direction.
Q. On No. 1 immediately, what did you hit into the inexperienced, having hit a driver off the tee? Was it completely different from final yr? If that’s the case, what was the membership, and what similarities or variations did you see on the holes that you simply performed?
So final yr — yesterday after 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 wanting the opening.
For me, most likely the suitable membership would have been a great drive and a great 5-iron right into a slight breeze yesterday. Whereas final yr we had been hitting driver, wedge on that gap. That’s a reasonably 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 completely different distances you had been hitting your strategy photographs on different holes on the entrance facet?
I’d say they’re pretty comparable. Just like the par-5, sixth was a bit bit completely 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 nicely. Not too loopy completely different on the remaining holes.
Q. We all know this yr was form 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 the whole lot off of really feel and the way your swing is feeling?
I wouldn’t say I’ve been very proud of this yr, however I do assume I’ve realized loads. What’s actually cool is that I’ve nonetheless made it to this week enjoying what I felt like is absolute rubbish. I feel that’s one thing that’s fairly cool to form 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 feel that’s actually cool. That’s form of how I’m processing this. Yeah, I’ll sit down by the tip of the yr and actually take a look at the entire course of the yr. 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 all the time form of current and analyzing what’s occurring.
I’m simply joyful we’re transferring in the suitable course.
Q. Within the low season what’s going to you do along with your time largely?
I don’t know. We’ll see. I’d undoubtedly prefer to apply a bit bit extra and form of actually combine a few of these modifications or the trail that I’m transferring on. I actually need to be sure that we’re solidifying that path and it’s headed to a great course 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 disenchanted popping out of Memphis, realizing that you simply had been nicely exterior and also you had been fairly locked into right here? I can’t think about this was written in ink, being right here this yr.
VIKTOR HOVLAND: No, it wasn’t. Clearly what Hideki did, birdie-birdie end, I’d have favored to have completed a bit bit higher, however I couldn’t be very disenchanted. 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 an alternative of simply making an attempt 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 unhealthy yr into an okay yr, making it right here.
I’m simply form of pumped that the curve is trending upwards, and I’ve simply obtained to journey that wave and maintain it going.
Q. Subsequent yr goes to be our fourth yr in a row of doing Memphis, rotating BMW after which East Lake. Are you okay with that, or would you prefer to see a bit extra selection within the publish season?
I feel it’s fairly cool form of going again to the identical locations. I feel TPC Southwind is a good golf course. I’ve all the time been a fan of East Lake, so form of having two comparable — or the identical stops out of the three — I feel BMW is a cool one to rotate round, and we’ve been to some wonderful locations the few years that I’ve performed that occasion.
I feel it really works, but when the followers need to see someplace else, possibly that must 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 feel it really works.
