Viktor Hovland won a play-off against American crack, Scottie Scheffler, after posting a minus 21 score to triumph in the $20,000,000 Travelers Championship event two weeks ago, pocketing a big pay check.
The 28-year-old, who won the US Amateur in 2018, then took a week off before jetting into Scotland for the Genesis Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club near North Berwick.
He arrives in good shape and he admitted to working on “some general things” in the last two months which have added to his game.
The Norwegian (pictured) said he was taking steps in the right direction and he is now reaping the benefit and Oslo-born Hovland believes that if he plays in the way he does in practice then he could challenge for the coveted title.
Shots he developed in Oklahoma playing for the State University, including a “piercing ball flight”, could stand him in good stead at The Renaissance in the wind whips up over the East Lothian course.
There is a lot of history, he said, in the Scottish Open which is the last tournament before The Open at Royal Birkdale and Hovland declared: “Two really big events back-to-back.”
Of course, Norway beat Brazil in the World Cup and England edged Mexico which means they are paired in a major weekend clash in Miami on Saturday.
Hovland admitted he was not a football fan, and he does not know the names of the players, but he felt the atmosphere having spent some time since his victory back in his native country.
He lives not far from the city centre and the noise generated by football fans nearby resonated.
Hovland said he was not in a position to make a prediction about the outcome but he will watch the weekend clash and he declared: “Norway needed something like this to happen.”
ALL QUIET: No crowds yet, but thousands expected from Thursday. Picture Nigel Duncan
