'Devastatingly Bad At Chipping' - Chamblee Gives Scathing Hovland Report

Chamblee didn't hold back when talking about Hovland's chipping

Hovland waves to the crowd, Chamblee sits with a headset on
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Viktor Hovland and playing partner, Rory McIlroy, put on an exhibition of golf on Saturday at the 150th Open Championship, as both men pulled away from the pack on Moving Day at St Andrews.

Holding a four shot buffer from a congested leaderboard, both Hovland and McIlroy start four shots ahead going into the final day on the Old Course. However, despite the incredible golf, Brandel Chamblee, who isn't afraid to speak his mind, thinks that Hovland needs to avoid a certain aspect of his game, with the Golf Channel Analyst stating that the Norwegian is "devastatingly bad at chipping."

FACTS ABOUT VIKTOR HOVLAND

Speaking on Live From The Open, the 60-year-old explained: "The greens here are so big and the surrounds are cut so tight that you can go through this entire week and not have to chip. If he misses a green tomorrow where he is short-sided and he has to go over a bunker, then we're leaning in because he is so devastatingly bad at chipping. He's the worst chipper, by far, on the PGA Tour.

"You go back to 2004 and you can only find three players who have ever chipped worse at any part of their career than what Viktor Hovland is doing right now. He's a sublime ball-striker, the question is will he have to chip tomorrow?"

Could Chamblee have a point? Well, a quick look at Hovland's PGA Tour stats shows that he is definitely not a strong chipper, by PGA Tour standards, with 24-year-old ranked outside the top 200 for Strokes Gained: Around The Green. As well as Strokes Gained, he sits outside the top 150 for a number of other short game statistics.

Hovland watches his tee shot

Hovland carded a blemish free round on Saturday

(Image credit: Getty Images)

However, this is one of the game's biggest stars, a player who, in his short time as a professional, has claimed three PGA Tour wins, as well as two DP World Tour victories. He has also been knocking on the door of a big result in a Major as, rather surprisingly, he hasn't claimed a top 10 in any of his Major starts.

This week, Hovland has been phenomenal tee-to-green, with the Norwegian rarely missing a fairway or green. What's more, if he has missed the dancefloor, he has gotten up-and-down frequently, with the 24-year-old only carding four bogeys throughout 54 holes, some shooting around St Andrews where pin positions have been tight to say the least.  

Matt Cradock
Staff Writer

Matt joined Golf Monthly in February 2021 covering weekend news, before also transitioning to equipment and testing. After freelancing for Golf Monthly and The PGA for 18 months, he was offered a full-time position at the company in October 2022 and continues to cover weekend news and social media, as well as help look after Golf Monthly’s many buyers’ guides and equipment reviews.

Taking up the game when he was just seven years of age, Matt made it into his county squad just a year later and continues to play the game at a high standard, with a handicap of around 2-4. To date, his best round came in 2016, where he shot a six-under-par 66 having been seven-under through nine holes. He currently plays at Witney Lakes in Oxfordshire and his favourite player is Rory McIlroy, despite nearly being struck by his second shot at the 17th during the 2015 BMW PGA Championship.

Matt’s current What’s In The Bag?

Driver: Honma TW747, 8.75°

Fairway Wood: TaylorMade Rocketballz Stage 2, 15°, 19°

Hybrid: Adams Super Hybrid, 22°

Irons: Mizuno MP54, 5-PW

Wedges: Cleveland 588 RTX 2.0 Tour Satin, 50°, 56°, 60°

Putter: Cleveland TFI 2135 Satin Cero

Ball: Titleist Pro V1x