Viktor Hovland was one of several top-tier names in the DP World India Championship field this week.
He joined a group that included Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood, Shane Lowry, Ben Griffin, Michael Kim and Brian Harman in New Delhi.
The Norwegian was in the mix all week and went into the final round five shots back of Keita Nakajima.
Hovland (-17) wasn’t able to close the gap on Sunday as Tommy Fleetwood (-22) picked up his eighth DP World Tour win. Even so, Hovland believes his play this week earned him a place in the record books.
Viktor Hovland set an individual record at the DP World India Championship
After his final round, Hovland was reminded that he had only made three bogeys over the four days of play. The 28-year-old believes it’s the cleanest tournament he’s ever played in terms of mistakes.
“Yeah, that’s got to be some record, for me at least,” Hovland said. “Kind of annoying one there on 15, missing a short one there. But yeah, three bogeys, that was definitely not the problem this week. Just needed to make a few more birdies.”
He felt that while he avoided mistakes, his iron play kept him from catching Tommy Fleetwood because too many of his approach shots ended up in safe areas rather than close to the pin.
“Yeah, it was very solid,” he added. “I didn’t make too many mistakes. I wish I could have made a few more birdies. I didn’t hit my iron shots close enough.
“All the pins were tucked on either the right side or the left side. Thankfully, I didn’t short-side myself, but I just hit everything middle of the green, so I had a lot of stuff 15 to 25 feet for birdie.”
Hovland shares first impressions of playing in India
It was Hovland’s first visit to India, making the week a completely new experience for him. The Norwegian, known for his curiosity and interest in topics like outer space, spent time exploring New Delhi during the event.
“Yeah, it is very different. Going to a new place takes a little bit more time just to get used to the course, and obviously, it’s hot here. Food is very different, just everything is very different.
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“It takes a little bit of time to get used to, but I’ve definitely embraced it this week because I just really love going to see new places, and India is definitely one of the favorite places I’ve been to. I love it.”
There’s now every indication that both Hovland and defending champion Fleetwood will be back for next season’s DP World India Championship.
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