Viktor Hovland, a shining star in the golfing world, finds himself wrestling with his game as the 2025 PLAYERS Championship looms. The sportsman, who previously dazzled spectators with his stunning performances, has been grappling with a dip in form since his glory days in the summer of 2023. But Hovland isn’t one to back down – he’s confronting his shortcomings head-on, a trait that distinguishes him from the usual athlete’s bluster.
In the midst of his struggles, Hovland has been striving to enjoy the game rather than obsessing over the outcome. As a player who prides himself on his technical prowess, he’s concentrating on honing his fundamentals rather than resorting to mental strategies. The question on everyone’s mind is: can he bounce back in upcoming tournaments?
Looking back at his recent performances, Hovland’s prospects seem promising, albeit uncertain. He barely scraped into the top 60 at the last PLAYERS Championship in 2024, coming in at the 62nd spot with a score of 1-under. However, his track record at this event is respectable, boasting an average score of 6-under and an average finish at the 25th position over his last four appearances.
Recent statistics paint a complex picture of Hovland’s game. He’s been striking an average of 300.2 yards off the tee in his last five tournaments. Despite his putting being a tad disappointing (-1.009 Strokes Gained: Putting), he still holds the capacity to rival the finest in the sport.
The magnitude of the upcoming PLAYERS Championship, which awards a whopping 750 FedExCup points to the victor, cannot be overstated. Scottie Scheffler, the reigning World No. 1, is eyeing to join the legendary Jack Nicklaus as a three-time winner of this prestigious championship.
In an effort to salvage his game, Hovland has been pulling all stops. Despite suffering a minor injury, he participated in the 2025 Sentry Tournament of Champions but failed to snag a top finish. As part of his strategy to reignite his game, Hovland revisited his former equipment, reverting to his reliable DS-72 putter and swapping his Puma shoes for an old pair of Nikes. According to Hovland, the lighter, albeit unstable, Nike shoes enable him to read the slopes of the greens better.
However, his performance at the API, where he shot a 5-over 77 on Thursday and a 72 on Friday, didn’t reflect the expected boost from the equipment change. He missed the cut by a single stroke, ending with a total score of 5-over par 149. Despite his familiarity and comfort with his old equipment, Hovland was unable to regain his lost momentum.
With the PLAYERS Championship on the horizon, all eyes are on Hovland as he strives to rebound. While he’s back to the drawing board for now, the golfing world eagerly awaits to see if this talented player can reclaim his position among the sport’s finest. Can he deliver a comeback to remember? Only time will tell.