“He’s a/the favorite to win US Open” – Phil Mickelson lauds Memorial Tournament 2023 winner Viktor Hovland
Viktor Hovland is at the epicenter of talks since winning the recently concluded Memorial Tournament 2023. Just recently, LIV golfer Phil Mickelson also lauded the Norwegian and dubbed him one of the favorites to win the upcoming 2023 US Open.
Hovland managed top-10 finishes in both major tournaments this season. He even finished T3 in the 2023 Players Championship. Mickelson, who himself is a six-time major champion, lauded Hovland and his game.
Mickelson also dubbed Hovland to be a favorite to win the third major of the season.
"When Viktor Hovland turned pro he was a solid player. He has since worked hard on his game, increased his club head speed a lot, improved his putting and chipping immensely and is now one of the best in the game. After this win and his play in PGA, he’s a/the favorite to win US open," Mickelson's tweet read.
When Viktor Hovland turned pro he was a solid player. He has since worked hard on his game,increased his club head speed a lot,improved his putting and chipping immensely and is now one of the best in the game.After this win and his play in PGA,he’s a/the favorite to win US open.
How was the performance of Viktor Hovland in the Memorial Tournament 2023?
Viktor Hovland had an incredible outing at the Memorial Tournament 2023 at the Muirfield Village Golf Club. The tournament, designed by the legendary Jack Nicklaus, is often called to be one of the toughest, in terms of condition, on the PGA Tour.
Hovland who was not in the top five on the leaderboard jumped to the top after he carded a score of 2-under 70. He tied with Denny McCarthy in the first position and advanced to play a one-hole playoff. The Norwegian eventually defeated the latter to register his fourth win on the PGA Tour.
Hovland was awarded a handsome amount of $3.6 million and the Memorial Tournament trophy by the 17-time major champion Jack Nicklaus. He also gained 64.71 points to jump from the seventh rank to the fifth rank in the OWGR.
What did Viktor Hovland and Jack Nicklaus talk about after the Memorial Tournament 2023?
After the conclusion of the Memorial Tournament 2023 at Muirfield Village Golf Club, Viktor Hovland was recorded having a chat with the great Jack Nicklaus. The duo had a brief fun chat before Nicklaus handed him the trophy.
The video was shared by the PGA Tour's official Twitter handle. In the video, Nicklaus asked Hovland if he was in Oklahoma State too. The latter replied in the affirmative before adding:
"The real Oklahoma State. I'm just kidding. Or the real OSU. I screwed it up. I didn't have the balls to do it in front of you, Jack."
Viktor and Jack had too much fun during the trophy ceremony @MemorialGolf 😂 https://t.co/1R7NSAiYkA
Later on, Jack Nicklaus asked Viktor Hovland to go collect the big check and enjoy. The lovely banter was loved by fans and everyone who watched the video.
Where is Phil Mickelson scheduled to play next?
The 52-year-old LIV golfer is mostly seen playing at the Saudi-backed league since he joined it. However, due to his previous wins at major tournaments, Phil Mickelson also gets the privilege to play in those tournaments too.
Mickelson will now gear up for the 2023 US Open which is scheduled to take place on June 15 at the Los Angeles Country Club. Despite winning all the other three majors, the American golfer is yet to win a US Open title. However, he did finish as runner-up six times in his career.