VIKTOR HOVLAND PROVIDES HUGE UPDATE AMID LIV GOLF SPECULATION.
Viktor Hovland confirms new golf coach is ex PGA Tour player amid latest LIV Golf rumours.
Viktor Hovland has enlisted the services of Grant Waite, a former PGA Tour player, as his new golf coach after parting ways with Joe Mayo, as reported by Eurosport’s Espen Blaker. Hovland, at the age of 26, terminated his association with Mayo at the conclusion of 2023, a year in which he achieved his inaugural FedEx Cup victory.
Earlier this month, the Golfer who represents Europe in the Ryder Cup stated to Golf Channel that he preferred not to provide further information regarding his separation from Mayo.
Mayo himself expressed similar feelings, according to a separate report from Sports Illustrated. Mayo, known as the ‘Trackman Maestro’ among golf insiders, is acknowledged for significantly transforming Hovland’s luck, especially in his short game.
Hovland admitted he was not skilled in chipping when he started his career on the Tour, but his progress in this aspect is evident as he has moved up 90 positions on the SG: around the green leaderboard.
Yet despite enjoying his greatest season to date on the PGA Tour with three victories culminating in FedEx Cup glory, Hovland has rung the changes for 2024 by turning to former PGA Tour player Grant Waite.
New Zealander Waite, 59, captured his sole PGA Tour title at the 1993 Kemper Open.
Waite played on the PGA Tour for 13 seasons and he is now considered one of the best golf coaches in the world.
He has worked with numerous PGA Tour players in recent times, most notably Charles Howell III who acted as Hovland’s mentor when he first burst onto the scene in 2019.
In a similar manner to Mayo, it is understood Waite’s coaching philosophy is based on a lot of mathematics and physics.
Hovland has known Waite for some time and according to Eurosport, Hovland met up with him to start working together properly just after The Sentry in Hawaii earlier this month.
The latest update on Hovland’s new golf coach comes during a period where there has been heavy speculation the Norwegian is headed to LIV Golf.
But these rumours are false according to popular social media account, Flushing It.
At least for the moment.
Flushing It tweeted:
There’s rumours that Viktor Hovland is heading to LIV and that is NOT happening, for now at least. It’s been confirmed recently by the man himself.”
Hovland is back in competitive action on the PGA Tour at next week’s AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
According to reports, it is understood Adrian Meronk is going to turn down his PGA Tour card by becoming the next player to join LIV Golf.
Meronk, who controversially snubbed a place on Luke Donald’s European Ryder Cup last season, is likely to join Martin Kaymer’s Cleeks GC.
It is believed Tyrrell Hatton is “close” to joining Jon Rahm’s LIV Golf team, according to SI’s Bob Harig.
Earlier today, it was officially announced that Nick Dunlap, who emerged as the victor in last week’s PGA Tour, has transitioned from being an amateur to pursuing a professional career.
Dunlap, who made a surprising win at The American Express and gained recognition in the record books, shared his most recent announcement during a heartfelt press conference held at the University of Alabama.
The individual, who is 20 years old, has made the choice to extend his PGA Tour membership until 2026 and will have his first professional appearance at Pebble Beach.
