Is Viktor Hovland REALLY Back to Form

Guest article by student sports journalist Fin Tait.

Viktor Hovland showed many signs of his return to top form in his victory at the Valspar Championship, but is he really back to the levels we’ve seen of him in recent years?

The Norwegian found an impressive level last weekend at Innisbrook, shooting a 70, 67, 69 and 67 to finish 11 under par - closing out the win ahead of Justin Thomas and Jacob Bridgeman.

Prior to this win Hovland had massively struggled with his results and performances, having not made the cut in the previous three events he started in, and only recording one top 25 finish in 2025.

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Following this victory Hovland was very openly speaking about the issues he's faced in his game for the past year and a half, as well as where he thinks his game is right now. He said: "I've missed cuts before and felt like my game has been ok and I still feel like the next week I can win the tournament.

"But the last year and a half has been, ok, I know my golf game is not very good, I know I have some issues and just because you have one bad round of golf or one bad tournament, you would like to think that next week is another week you'll figure it out. But when the problems remain and linger, you don't become more hopeful. It's like you're drowning and you're running out of air."

(Image Credit: Kevin Diss Photography)

Despite the win and the relief of a perfect weekend on the scoreboard, Hovland still admitted to his nagging issues with his swing and technique: "It's still not great. I'm still hitting the same shots that I have been the whole year; it's just I was able to time it really well this week. It felt like every single good shot that I hit; I just saved it really well.

"The club is just not in a great place for me coming down, it's just not what it used to be, so I can't really rely on my old feels anymore because the club is in a different spot and I have to change my release patterns to make that work.

"Now, incredibly, I was able to make it work and was able to win. And I think that is something I'm extremely proud of. I can show up at a PGA Tour event, at one of the hardest golf courses we play all year and still win with not my best stuff. So, I think that's really cool."

(Image Credit: Kevin Diss Photography)

Due to the known issues in his game, it wasn't until the Tuesday before the first round of the tournament that Viktor decided he would be competing - and I'm sure he's glad of that decision now.

Prior to the Valspar Championship, Hovland sat at 19th in the world rankings. He has since moved up to 8th after his first victory of the season, but can he carry on winning despite the issues he still faces in his game?

This victory also comes with a bigger question. Will the Norwegian be returning to Luke Donald's team to face team USA at this year's Ryder Cup?

Back in 2023, Hovland and Ludvig Aberg famously defeated Scottie Scheffler and Brooks Koepka, and in doing so set the record for the largest margin of victory by either team in a Ryder Cup foursomes match.

It's safe to say looking back on this we all presumed Hovland would be returning to represent Europe in 2025. However, with his dips and dives in form, only time will tell.

So, the ultimate question on everyone's lips following Hovland's surprising victory is - is he back? And will we see him at Bethpage in September?

We will have to wait and see. Should the results and impressive finishes keep coming in, then we can only presume he will have earned his spot in the team. However, if the noted issues in his game continue to affect his performances, he may struggle to cement his feet in Luke Donald's team for the 2025 Ryder Cup.

For now, let's enjoy the prospects of one of Europe's finest golfers at the moment, making his return to his former self.