After Greg Norman’s 5-Word Hint, Viktor Hovland Adds Fuel to Fire With Glaring PGA Tour Snub
Recently, LIV Golf was planning to add an unnamed top PGA Tour pro to its 54-player roster. The spearhead of the rebel league, Greg Norman, revealed, “I’ve sat down with one top, top PGA Tour player in his house, with another member of my team, and walked him through the whole process.” Though that member of the Tour later rejected the offer, he was impressed with LIV Golf.
The consistent absence of the 6-time PGA Tour winner indicates that he might have met with Greg Norman to discuss the probability of joining LIV Golf. Though Norman shared that a top pro told him, “I’ve decided to stay where I’m at.” Norman assured him with 5 simple words, “The door is always open.” The CEO also told Hovland that if he ever changes his mind, and wants to “come back and have another conversation” he will be happy to do that.
Amidst Norman’s revelation that the PGA Tour pro was rumored to be Viktor Hovland yet again. The Norwegian pro’s recent move heightens the speculations more. At THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson, the Norwegian is missing from the field. It is the seventh PGA Tour event in a row that Hovland will be missing.
Field for THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson pic.twitter.com/p38hQ4P6JD
— PGA TOUR Communications (@PGATOURComms) April 26, 2024
The last time Viktor Hovland played at a PGA Tour-sanctioned event was at the PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass. He also played at the Masters and brutally missed the cut. Then, Hovland was expected to play at the RBC Heritage, the ninth signature event of the PGA Tour, but at the last moment, he withdrew.
At the Zurich Classic, where his fellow European players, Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry, won. But Hovland’s name was not in the field either. In the last few months, Hovland’s name has been associated with the breakaway league many times. He has always disagreed with the rumors and even expressed discontent with its format and how it might not make him a better golfer. But this time, he has been silent.
A few PGA Tour pros, such as Jon Rahm, who once disregarded LIV Golf’s format went on to accept the million-dollar deal. Will the Norwegian pro also do the same? It remains to be seen! As of now, his stance on the PGA Tour leadership also indicates his displeasure with the Tour.
Viktor Hovland bashes Jay Monahan
When he was in Norway, Hovland exclaimed, “Management of the PGA Tour has done such a bad job.” Moreover, before his last play at the TPC Sawgrass, the 26-year-old reiterated his thoughts on Jay Monahan and how he led the PGA Tour in recent times, and his words reflected that he was still unhappy with how things have been lately.
He said, “As a leader of an organization, I will want a person like that to take some ownership and say, Hey, we made a couple of mistakes, but this is how we’re going to rectify it, instead of kind of sweeping it under the rug, which I felt like has been done to a certain degree.”
Although Hovland has not confirmed the recent rumors, his differences in opinions with Jay Monahan and his way of working may lead him to join LIV Golf like Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton. What do you think of the situation? Let us know in the comments below.
