Who is Viktor Hovland? Meet the Norwegian golfer eyeing first major win at PGA Championship

Brooks Koepka went into the final round of Sunday’s PGA Championship at the top of the leaderboard with Viktor Hovland just a beat behind his neck.

As it turned out, lap four turned into a two-man race between Koepka and Hovland. Koepka has a wealth of experience winning major championships, but the same cannot be said of Hovland.

Known for both his eccentric outfits and his excellence on the golf course, Hovland has a chance to build his own legacy by going from behind to win the PGA Championship.

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Here’s what you need to know about Hovland as he seeks the biggest win of his pro career.

How old is Viktor Hovland?

Hovland is 25 years old and will be 26 in September. After the 2019 US Open, he turned pro on the PGA Tour, making his professional debut in June 2019 at the Travelers Championship.

Where is Viktor Hovland from?

Hovland was born in Oslo, Norway. He grew up in Norway and attended high school in Oslo before going to the United States on a golf scholarship to attend college.

Viktor Hovland College

Hovland spent his college career at Oklahoma State University. Stillwater might seem like an odd choice for a student originally from Norway, but as he told The Oklahoman in August 2018, he “felt I had to get out of my comfort zone.”

Oklahoma state golf coach Alan Bratton told The Oklahoman at the time that he aggressively recruited Hovland and even made two trips to Europe to pitch his pitch.

“I saw something that I thought was special. As soon as I could recruit Viktor, I did. I came back two summers in a row,” Bratton said.

Hovland became the first Norwegian golfer to win the US amateur tournament in 2018 and later graduated at the 2019 Masters as a low-level amateur. After a great performance at the US Open as an amateur in 2019, Hovland turned pro.

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Has Viktor Hovland won a Major?

Hovland has never won a major championship. In fact, no Norwegian has ever won a major. Only one Nordic golfer has won a Major: Henrik Stenson, who won the Open Championship in 2016. Stenson was born in Sweden.

Hovland was a major contender from such a young age. He finished fourth at the 2022 US Open and seventh at the Masters in April.

Is he building towards finally reaching the top and winning a Major? Hovland’s appearance in the PGA Championship suggests that day could come very soon, even if he can’t finish his job at Oak Hill.

Viktor Hovland fortune

Hovland’s net worth is estimated to be between $12 million and $15 million. He has made $16.73 million in PGA official earnings.

Needless to say, winning the PGA championship or even a top-three finish would provide a huge boost to Hovland’s career gains. The winner is set to receive $2.7 million, while runner-up will receive $1.62 million and third-place finisher will take home $1.02 million.