The 2019 Masters will forever be etched into fans’ memories with the image of Tiger Woods dressed in Sunday red lifting his putter into the air in celebration of his fifth Green Jacket.
But what often gets overlooked amid the great’s emotional comeback is the 21-year-old Norwegian who finished Low Amateur.
In 2019, Viktor Hovland sat alongside the champion in Butler Cabin after winning the Silver Medal for Low Amateur.
Viktor Hovland won the Silver Cup for Low Amateur at the 2019 Masters tournament
The young Norwegian sat alongside 2019 champions Tiger Woods (centre) in Butler Cabin
In the three years since, he has catapulted himself onto golf’s global stage, peaking at World No 3, currently sitting at No 4 with the chance to clinch the coveted No 1 spot.
In the past ten years, there have been eight new winners of the tournament with Bubba Watson winning twice within three years and Tiger Woods of course being a serial winner.
As Hovland prepares to tee off in his third Masters – his second since turning professional – could he be the latest new name to slip into a Green Jacket?
Seven winners of the silver medal for low amateur have gone on to win a Green Jacket: Cary Middlecoff (1946), Jack Nicklaus (1960), Ben Crenshaw (1972-73), Phil Mickelson (1991), Tiger Woods (1995), Sergio Garcia (1999) and Hideki Matsuyama (2011).
And with multiple Tour wins already under his belt, a major is surely on the horizon for Hovland.
At the age of 24, Hovland has three PGA Tour and two DP World Tour wins, as well as a victory at the Hero World Challenge, hosted by none other than Woods himself, last December.
At the end of November 2020, he only had one professional win to his name but in the space of 17 months he has racked them up with five coming in the last 12 months.
The 24-year-old won the Hero World Challenge hosted by Woods last December
Hovland already has three PGA Tour and two DP World Tour wins to his name
The results have…
Source : dailymail
