Viktor Hovland speaks about the importance of speaking the truth by referencing $250M-worth rapper
Seven-time PGA Tour winner Viktor Hovland is set to tee off at Augusta National on April 10. In a press conference ahead of the tournament, Hovland revealed that his strategy for taking the pressure off is to speak the truth. He made a reference to what the popular rapper Eminem did in one of his rap battles.
Hovland turned pro in 2019 and plays on the PGA Tour and European Tour. He won the Memorial Tournament and Tour Championship in 2023. He has won a total of seven events on the PGA Tour and two on the European Tour.
Viktor Hovland revealed that a good way to get over any fears that may arise while playing is by admitting his faults to himself. He said that doing this will help him focus on playing the game better. Eminem, who is worth $250 million (per Celebrity Net Worth), used a similar strategy in his famous rap battle in the movie 8 Mile.
“If you hold it in, it almost becomes… the fear almost becomes bigger. Instead of when you speak the truth out there. You kinda desensitize it in a way. I mean, it’s maybe not the best analogy, but if you’ve seen 8 Mile with Eminem. There is like before his final rap battle there he just kinda disses himself,” Hovland said.
“So it's like okay here I am what else you got on me? And I don't know, I think it kinda puts it out there so I can focus on the things I need to focus on and just get back to work and get a little bit better,” he concluded.
Viktor Hovland is yet to secure a Major championship victory. His best Major result so far is a T2 finish in the 2023 PGA Championship. He also competed in the 2022 Open Championship where he landed at T4, and in the 2019 U.S. Open where he finished at T12.
Hovland’s best result in the Masters Tournament is a T7 finish, which was in 2023. Last year, he competed in the tournament but didn’t make the cut.
A look at Viktor Hovland’s performance on the PGA Tour this year
Viktor Hovland has played in six PGA Tour events this year and has won one. His first start of the year was at The Sentry at Kapalua Resort where he finished at T36 with 15-under. From Kapalua, the Norwegian golfer headed to the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am where he secured a T22 finish with 10-under.
The next three events proved to be disappointing for Hovland as he missed the cut in all three of them. He played in the Genesis Invitational, Arnold Palmer Invitational, and Players Championship, but failed to make it past the second round.
Despite his poor performances, Viktor Hovland’s redemption came at the Valspar Championship where he claimed his first PGA Tour title of the year. He won the event with 11-under, one stroke ahead of Justin Thomas, the runner-up.