Viktor Hovland admits poor career decision: "S--- happens"

Viktor Hovland says he made a mistake trying to pursue a swing change that would see him draw the ball. 

Hovland made the concession ahead of the Hero Dubai Desert Classic. 

The Norwegian said the first four years of his professional career were 'pretty stress-free' as he knew, for the most part, where the ball was going. 

Despite tasting success on the PGA Tour and the Ryder Cup, the golfer decided he wanted to add another layer to his game by trying to hit a draw as well. 

"Maybe [I] didn't realise how good it was [hitting a cut] or I thought it could continue to get better and better and better," he said.  

"For the most part of my career, every decision that I've made to change something up in order to play better, it has worked."

Hovland said he has gotten into some bad habits. 

Chief of which are his forearms 'twisting the other way' in the backswing as well as having a closed face. 

At times, he also gets steep and across the line. 

"And there's been a couple key moves that I used to make in my old golf swing that I'm currently not doing," he added.  

"And I've got to get back to making that movement in order to play my best golf. That's just kind of where we're at."

Hovland sacked his long-time swing coach, Joe Mayo, in 2023 before the pair reconciled prior to last year's PGA Championship. 

The duo have parted ways once more and now Hovland is consulting a number of coaches. 

Ultimately, the goal is for Hovland to go it alone. 

Asked if he had any regrets, Hovland said: "I mean, you could say that. 

"I think a lot of people have it maybe misconstrued a little bit that I made a conscious decision to go down this rabbit hole.

"I think it's just your golf swing is an ever-evolving organism, and every week you're out here playing, you have intentions and feels that would seem relatively innocuous. 

"But you keep those intentions and feels in there, and then might morph into something else. I just didn't address it."

He continued: "You know, just to put it simply, I added a lot of draw pieces in my golf swing because I'd always been a cutter, and I wanted to see the ball not cut as much. 

"And then you add more draw pieces in there, and then suddenly, I get sick and tired of it missing left and now I'll want to cut it, and that compensation was not good for my swing. 

"It's just a process of, you know, sh-- happens. Like I didn't go down there and say, 'no, this is better'.

"I made a poor decision. That's the game of golf for you. It's hard to play golf 20 years great."

Hovland has been working with TJ Yeaton since splitting with Mayo. 

He said he has been impressed with his insight so far.

"We'll see how it goes," he said. 

Hovland is playing the first two rounds here at Emirates Golf Club alongside Tommy Fleetwood and Rory McIlroy. 

The trio are out at 4.05am GMT on Thursday. 

McIlroy spoke to reporters on Wednesday. 

He revealed he advised Tom McKibbin not to join LIV Golf.

And he also took a dim view of Jon Rahm's comments about the current state of the men's game. 

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