FARMINGDALE, N.Y. (AP) 鈥 Viktor Hovland鈥檚 golf swing clicked at the right time. His search for the truth about UFOs? That’s still a work in progress.
Practicing on the driving range two days before the begins Friday, the 28-year-old Norwegian said he suddenly felt freed up. When he reviewed his swing on video, 鈥渋t looked definitely better than other swings that I鈥檝e made lately.鈥
鈥淥bviously this is a golf course that you have to drive it really well, and I’ve been kind of struggling with the driver,鈥 Hovland said Thursday at Bethpage Black. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been a long time since I鈥檝e been able to stand on the range and just kind of beat balls fluidly, effortlessly without trying to feel like I鈥檓 steering it.鈥
That bodes well for Europe, which enters tournament play on Friday as underdogs on the U.S. team鈥檚 turf in front of what鈥檚 sure to be a raucous . President will be there for part of it, adding to the frenzy.
About the UFOs: it’s a subject Hovland says he鈥檚 gotten deeper into in the last couple of years, piquing the curiosity of teammates and fans alike. The seven-time PGA Tour winner said it鈥檚 one way he takes his mind off golf.
And, he insists, the truth is out there.
鈥淭he more you go into it, you just get more questions,鈥 Hovland said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 one of those things that you don鈥檛 really find any more answers, but it鈥檚 very interesting to go in there and kind of challenge some of your beliefs that you currently hold.鈥
鈥淵ou kind of have to expand your mind a little bit,鈥 he said.
Hovland, one of golf’s most popular and affable stars, was eager to get back to practicing after rain soaked the course on Thursday morning. He said he wanted to make sure his newfound swing feel didn’t disappear overnight.
鈥淚 think we鈥檝e all been there,鈥 Hovland said. 鈥淲e find a feel and think we鈥檙e back, and the next day it all falls apart.鈥
Acknowledging 鈥渟ome major struggles鈥 with his game in recent seasons, Hovland desperately wants to return to the form he had in 2023, when he won three times on the PGA Tour and claimed the season-ending FedEx Cup.
He dropped from No. 4 in the world rankings the week of the last Ryder Cup, a win for Europe in Rome in 2023, to No. 12 currently. But, he said, 鈥滻 feel like despite that, I can still overcome that and play some really good golf.”
Hovland is frequently blunt and introspective, and his session with reporters Thursday volleyed from questions about his swing to his fascination with the prospect of otherworldly beings, spurred by a comment his friend and teammate Ludvig 脜berg made to reporters on Wednesday.
鈥淟udvig said that you like to talk about UFOs. What鈥檚 up with that?鈥 a reporter asked.
鈥淲hat鈥檚 up with that?鈥 Hovland responded, smiling and prompting laughs. 鈥淵eah, that鈥檚 the question, isn鈥檛 it? What is up with that?鈥
脜berg, for his part, said that while he indulges Hovland’s UFO talk, 鈥淚鈥檓 not quite down that road just yet. If I hang out with him long enough, I might be.鈥
鈥淗e鈥檚 a funny guy to have funny conversations with,鈥 脜berg said. 鈥淭hey can go in any direction that you don鈥檛 really expect.鈥
In some ways, pursuing a perfect golf swing and eternal questions about flying saucers and extraterrestrial life are a lot alike, both requiring curiosity and patience.
In golf, he said, 鈥測ou just look at your golf swing and you鈥檙e trying to practice hard and you don鈥檛 really get the results that you want, it can be quite frustrating.鈥
As a Ryder Cup rookie in 2021, Hovland went 0-3-2 en route to a 19-9 European loss at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin. In 2023, he went 3-1-1 as Europe prevailed 16.5 to 11.5.
鈥淚 felt like I was maybe more timid as a rookie playing on foreign soil,鈥 Hovland said of his first Ryder Cup. 鈥淚 think I played just a bit more insecure maybe but after 2023, my best season of my career, I felt just more excitement.鈥
This time there’s the added factor of a New York crowd 鈥 famously loud and ruthless toward opposing players, whether from the Boston Red Sox or Team Europe. Hovland, quirky as ever, said he has an antidote for that.
鈥淚f you play well, you know, there鈥檚 going to be some comments here and there,鈥 he said. 鈥淭hey won鈥檛 really come close to the thoughts that I have in my own head. So I think I鈥檒l just laugh it off for the most part.鈥
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