Victor Hovland embraced the native Hawaiian tradition in his first occasion of the brand new PGA TOUR schedule at The Sentry at Kapalua, in kick beginning a 12 months through which the younger gun can have his sights firmly set on main championship success.
There or there abouts for many of the week at The Sentry, Hovland couldn’t fairly reel in eventual winner Chris Kirk, nonetheless there was sufficient to love about his preliminary outing to have his supporters believing he can construct on his distinctive 2023 season.
The winner of the Tour Championship in August, the PGA TOUR’s FedEx Cup finale, Hovland emerged as the following large factor together with his victory in Atlanta, backing it up with a stirring efficiency on the Ryder Cup quickly after – and he did it with an Australian by his facet and carrying his PING golf bag.
Shay Knight, from Sydney’s north shore and a former member at Cammeray and The Australian Golf golf equipment, and a top quality participant in his personal proper, has been caddy and confidant virtually from the time Hovland left the Oklahoma State College to show professional, the pair formally teaming up on the 2019 Vacationers Championship.
Victor Hovland and his caddy, Australian Shay Knight, have struck up a profitable partnership.
“It’s actually thrilling for me. I’m as excited now as after I first got here out on Tour to have the ability to watch a child develop out right here” Knight instructed Golf Month-to-month in an interview in mid-2023.
And develop Hovland actually has, with 10 skilled victories at simply 26 years of age and in solely his fourth 12 months as an expert, six of these on the PGA TOUR, together with two top-10 finishes within the majors in 2023, and the sky is the restrict.
“He has the power to take one facet of the golf course out of play, which is large,” Knight continued. “He drives it very straight. I’m additionally impressed together with his psychological strategy. He’s a really calm man. He can get indignant, however lets it go shortly.”
After opening with an 8-under par 65 at The Sentry, Hovland saved tempo with a 67 in spherical two. Issues have been travelling easily in spherical three till a bogey on 13, then a triple bogey 7 on 14 stalled his progress. And with the scores as little as they have been all through the week, sadly there was no coming again, with Hovland ending in a tie for twenty second, eight pictures behind the winner.
After taking part in at Kapalua, Hovland skipped the Sony Open at Waialae nonetheless little question he’ll reappear someplace on the American west coast in the course of the early a part of the season, earlier than setting himself for main success, starting at The Masters in April.
In competition for many of the week at Augusta in 2023, a 74 on Sunday when paired with Brooks Koepka within the remaining group could have cruelled his possibilities, nonetheless there isn’t a doubt he’ll be again for extra in golf’s largest tournaments in 2024.
And Hovland will probably be doing his factor with an Aussie by his facet.
