The Arnold Palmer Invitational, a significant milestone on the road to the Masters, kicked off amid challenging conditions of fierce winds and a notoriously tough course. Despite this, the real drama unfolded not with the weather but with the performance of Norwegian golfing sensation, Viktor Hovland, whose struggles on the green have raised eyebrows worldwide.
Hovland, who started the year with promising finishes of T36 at the Sentry and T22 at the AT&T Pebble Beach, made some unexpected changes to his kit following these events. At the Genesis Invitational, he swapped his trusty putter for a PING PLD Oslo Prototype, a move that seemed to backfire as he failed to make the cut.
At the Arnold Palmer Invitational, he reverted to his old DS-72 putter and also returned to wearing his Nike shoes for the first time since partnering with Puma. Hovland is known for using aim-point, but in a bid to simplify his game, he has abandoned this strategy as well.
However, these changes did not yield the desired results in the opening round. Hovland, who currently sits at T52, had a difficult round of 77, marred by five bogeys and just two birdies.
Golf analyst Rick Gehman shared startling statistics on his social media about Hovland’s putting performance in the first round. Hovland lost 4.928 strokes putting, marking the second-worst putting round of his career. The 7.9 strokes difference between his ball-striking and his putting was the largest of his career. Adding to the shock were three putts missed from within six feet, which is a significant drop from his stroke-gained average in putting of 0.269.
This drastic dip in performance has fans questioning the future of the first Norwegian to claim a PGA Tour title. Despite his ten professional wins, including six on the PGA Tour, Hovland’s recent form has been disappointing. A fan expressed his concern, stating, “Might be safe to say Viktor Hovland just doesn’t get it like that anymore.”
Hovland, who won four events in 2023, failed to secure any victories in 2024 and even missed the cut at the Majors. With a missed cut in the third signature event of 2025, fans are predicting a professional downfall for Hovland.
Another fan lamented, “He has lost 4.5 strokes putting today. Almost unfathomable.” The general consensus among his followers is that despite reverting to his old equipment, Hovland’s performance hasn’t improved. One fan succinctly stated, “Blame the carpenter, not the tools.”
Some fans suggest that Hovland is trying to fix things that aren’t broken, with one fan dubbing him a “mental midget.” Even Hovland himself admitted that his putter wasn’t the issue, making his decision to switch at such a crucial time seem impulsive.
While the harsh conditions and equipment changes might have impacted Hovland’s performance, fans believe his poor decision-making and incapability have led to his decline. As the second round commences, all eyes will be on Hovland to see if he can turn his fortunes around.