Viktor Hovland Feels Money Should Not Be “Driving Force” To Play Golf

Viktor Hovland is one of the shining stars in the professional golf circuit. His game sense is often praised by both fans and critics. However, he is still unsure where the sport is heading. Recently, in a podcast, the Norwegian golfer stressed the fact that LIV Golf has been bringing up a lot of money but that should not be the “driving force” to play the game.

While speaking on the Son of a Butch podcast hosted by his longtime instructor Claude Harmon III, the World No. 4 said,

“Obviously, the LIV is bringing in a lot of money to the sport and there’s a lot of competition, which I think is good.” Hovland added by saying, “But it seems to have been a response from the PGA Tour’s side, that OK, we’re going to – it’s just more talk about the money and I think that’s a little bit sad.”

Viktor Hovland expressed his discomfort regarding the game moving forward to become more money-oriented than goal-oriented.

“Now, money is important and everyone needs to get paid accordingly, in a fair way, but I don’t think that needs to be like the driving force behind this, or the story every single week,” Hovland said.

Viktor Hovland Ranks Winning The Memorial Tournament Over Money

As the podcast proceeded, the Norwegian superstar stated that the John Deere Classic has raised their prize pool to $6 million. Although he meant no disrespect to the tournament, but added that he would rather win a Jack Nicklaus hosted event which has immense history. While speaking to Claude Harmon III, he said,

“But I’d much rather win a Memorial or a tournament like that.” Hovland added, “Yeah, and that’s the thing. You’re going to have those memories of winning that event, seeing kind of your name on that trophy and the history of all the names.”

Viktor Hovland won the 2023 edition of the Memorial Tournament. He received the prestigious trophy from the host, Jack Nicklaus, himself. He called it a memory to remember as one of the finest. The Norwegian golfer was also crowned as the 2023 FedEx Cup Champion.

The current World No. 4 was last seen playing at the 2024 Genesis Invitational where he finished T19 on the leaderboard. He will next be seen playing at the 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational which commences on March 7. It is to be seen if the 26-year-old can record a victory at another prestigious tournament.

About the author

Kunal Singh

Kunal is a golf journalist for The SportsRush. He is an avid golf fan with a huge inclination towards Rory McIlroy's drive and Phil Mickelson's short game. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication and is currently pursuing a MBA in Media Management. Before joining The SportsRush, he has already penned over 1300 articles. If not covering stories on golf, you can find him brainstorming various fiction stories, composing music, and playing snooker.

Read More