Viktor Hovland joins golf’s elite, makes case for player of the year honors with FedEx Cup victory

Winning the Tour Championship and FedEx Cup isn’t observed as fascinating as successful a big or possibly even The Players, however for Viktor Hovland, there’s a sure public validation that comes with the $21.6 million he is amassed in the closing 8 days. In a sports activities tradition obsessed with successful — even in a game the place it by no means occurs — taking the BMW Championship and Tour Championship in consecutive weeks is the forward-facing banner of a behind-the-scenes fact: Hovland has for sure grow to be one of the very best golfers in the international.

After capturing a 61 closing week in the BMW Championship finale to take that event, he scored a 63 in the ultimate spherical this week when a 67 would were sufficient. He downed runner-up Xander Schauffele by means of 5 strokes and beat the leisure of the box by means of a comical margin of 11 strokes. In addition to the exact leaderboard — the place he began 8 underneath on the week boosted by means of his FedEx Cup status coming into the event — Hovland additionally took down the shadow leaderboard — fewest quantity of strokes taken — utilized by the Official World Golf Rankings to decide the champion for points-scoring functions.

For Hovland, it is his tenth OWGR victory in 117 begins. If that feels like so much, neatly, it is a lot. In only some years, he reveals himself successful at a clip (8.5%) this is simply in the back of Jon Rahm (11.6%) and kind of tied with Rory McIlroy (8.5%). Those are recently the most sensible 3 in the international. Obviously, Hovland has far to head sooner than catching Rahm and McIlroy in overall wins (the ones two have mixed for 53 OWGR victories), however so far as corporate is going in the trendy golfing panorama, there is no longer a lot better.

What is visual of Hovland now as FedEx Cup champion has in large part been true all year. One can apply his closing two weeks and spot one thing particular, however if you happen to appeared carefully sufficient, it used to be obvious at the Masters (T7), PGA Championship (T2), U.S. Open (nineteenth) and Open Championship (T13). He completed 2nd this season in combination primary ranking amongst avid gamers who made the minimize in any respect 4 (most effective Scottie Scheffler beat him), and he received towards 3 of the very best fields of the season at the Memorial, the BMW Championship and now the Tour Championship.

The embarrassment of riches from those closing two occasions gets the lion’s percentage of consideration, however the ones wins are merely a byproduct of anyone obsessed with the procedure.

“It’s not like I’m expecting to win X amount of tournaments or to win X amount of majors,” he stated closing week at the BMW Championship after his ridiculous 28 on the again 9 to near the ultimate spherical. “It’s just, ‘OK, this is as good as I am right now; what can I do to get better?’ And if I get better, I have the chance of winning these events. Whatever happens, happens.”

There is a distinction between enjoying excellent golfing and successful tournaments. The former usually ends up in the latter however no longer at all times. Hovland has been relatively excellent at golfing from the second he grew to become professional. Incredibly, his ball-striking numbers from 2019 are higher than they have been in 2023. So, the flooring has at all times been prime. You do not make 104 of your first 116 cuts some other approach.

This year, he is raised the ceiling. He has advanced his brief recreation immensely and made over his route control means. In different phrases, he is higher at getting up and down, and he does no longer put himself in eventualities the place he has to stand up and down from as tough spots. This is a deadly aggregate and the easiest approach for an elite ball-striker to grow to be an elite champion.

This is reductive, however one may just say that Hovland remodeled himself from being an excellent hitter of the golfing ball in years previous (like, generationally nice) to being an excellent golfer in 2023. (There is a the sort of huge distinction between the two.)

And in doing so, he is performed his approach into the PGA Tour Player of the Year dialog. Throw his resume up towards Rahm and Scheffler, and it is unquestionably going to be a fascinating debate.

Whether Hovland wins the award or no longer is almost definitely related to him however relatively unimportant in the grand scheme.

What issues is {that a} man who used to be as soon as mentioned as probably being grouped amongst avid gamers like Rahm and Scheffler now exists in point of fact of their corporate as a champion. Not a primary champion relatively but — even though this is virtually unquestionably imminent — however slightly anyone who wins, wins incessantly and wins essential occasions.

Viktor Hovland may not be the very best player in the international … but in addition, he could be.

Rick Gehman is joined by means of Kyle Porter, Patrick McDonald and Greg DuCharme to damage down Viktor Hovland’s scientific efficiency at the Tour Championship. He is the 2023 FedEx Cup Champion. Follow & concentrate to The First Cut on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.