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Hovland admits his swing search is wearing on him after Paris struggle
Three months after beating Scottie Scheffler in a playoff at the Travelers, Viktor Hovland says his swing has drifted far from its roots after a week of wild misses at the Open de France.
Viktor Hovland has admitted that his long search for a reliable swing is taking its toll, after finishing tied 33rd at last week’s FedEx Open de France. His 2026 includes a win at the Travelers and a runner-up finish at the Tour Championship.
In comments reported by GOLF.com, Hovland said his swing has “deviated so far off of my original DNA”. He described shots in Paris that finished 150 yards left, followed by misses the other way, and said that kind of unpredictability is especially hard to accept. He wants to stand on the tee and hit the shot he pictures, the way he did for most of his career, and he said he can feel that it isn’t the same right now. He has no plans to stop searching.
Before France he had tied for 27th at Wentworth’s BMW PGA Championship. In June he won the Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands, beating Scottie Scheffler in a Monday-morning playoff after the pair finished tied on 21 under. It was his eighth PGA TOUR title and his first in 15 months. In August he finished second to Scheffler at the Tour Championship.
Talking about Scheffler, Hovland said the difference is that the world No. 1 knows where the ball is going and doesn’t try to do too much. Hovland, by his own account, is still searching for that simplicity.
Qualifying for the 2027 Ryder Cup at Adare Manor is under way.
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