Watch: Hovland Makes Incredible Hole-In-One On Par Four At The Ryder Cup
Viktor Hovland is obviously in form heading into the Ryder Cup after making an albatross thanks to a hole-in-one on a par four at Marco Simone
Viktor Hovland was already coming into the Ryder Cup with plenty of hype about how well he's been playing - and he's stoked that fire even more with an incredible ace for an albatross in practice.
Hovland teed off on the shot par-four fifth hole, down as 302 yards on the Marco Simone scorecard, using just a 3-wood with distance no problem.
It was bang on line from the off, and Hovland turned and walked away satisfied that he'd hit a good one.
However, he wasn't initially sure just how good it was until the crowds down by the fifth green started to go crazy when the ball landed softly, took a couple of bounces then dived into the cup.
Hovland celebrated looking almost a bit embarrassed, while European teammates Matt Fitzpatrick and Tyrrell Hatton jumped on his back and bounced around the tee box in delight.
Now, we must mention that this was his second ball, as players often hit a couple off the tees in practice to the different pin positions, but still...
And while it's a bit early for Ryder Cup omens, but Hovland obviously isn't in bad touch as he prepares to face the Americans to try and win back the trophy.
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Watch Hovland make his incredible albatross below...
Viktor Hovland made a hole-in-one on a par 4 in Ryder Cup practice - wow!! pic.twitter.com/YkxAz8KhxFSeptember 28, 2023
Viktor Hovland has just made a HOLE-IN-ONE during the #RyderCup practice session ⭐️#TeamEurope | @RyderCupEurope pic.twitter.com/Xy4p6Frcr2September 28, 2023
VIKTOR HOVLAND JUST MADE A HOLE-IN-ONE ON THE PAR-4 5TH AT MARCO SIMONE! 🤯pic.twitter.com/EXvwoK9rd0September 28, 2023
And Hovland has already voiced his confidence has increased for this Ryder Cup from the last, mainly due to the huge strides he's taken in his short game.
"I felt like I played okay that week, but I lacked the special things in the matches to where you really flip the momentum around and you can build on a big putt or an up-and-down or maybe a chip-in or something like that," said Hovland.
"That just wasn’t there. I hit a lot of great iron shots into tough pin positions, but I just didn’t finish it off.
"I think this time around with all the work that I’ve done on the short game and some of the accomplishments that I’ve made in the last few tournaments and throughout the year, I feel like I’m a lot more accomplished.
"Even if I don’t have my game or I don’t hit it as well as I would have liked, I still feel like I can win or get up-and-down from a terrible spot.
"It’s not like, oh, I have to be in the perfect spot to have a chance to win the match. There’s a belief and a confidence that I can get myself out of any situation, and I think that’s a huge turnaround from last time."
Paul Higham is a sports journalist with over 20 years of experience in covering most major sporting events for both Sky Sports and BBC Sport. He is currently freelance and covers the golf majors on the BBC Sport website. Highlights over the years include covering that epic Monday finish in the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor and watching Rory McIlroy produce one of the most dominant Major wins at the 2011 US Open at Congressional. He also writes betting previews and still feels strangely proud of backing Danny Willett when he won the Masters in 2016 - Willett also praised his putting stroke during a media event before the Open at Hoylake. Favourite interviews he's conducted have been with McIlroy, Paul McGinley, Thomas Bjorn, Rickie Fowler and the enigma that is Victor Dubuisson. A big fan of watching any golf from any tour, sadly he spends more time writing about golf than playing these days with two young children, and as a big fair weather golfer claims playing in shorts is worth at least five shots. Being from Liverpool he loves the likes of Hoylake, Birkdale and the stretch of tracks along England's Golf Coast, but would say his favourite courses played are Kingsbarns and Portrush.
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