Viktor Hovland has endured an extremely challenging season on the PGA Tour so far in 2026.
In fact, it’s fair to say that Hovland has struggled terribly with his game since the start of the 2024 PGA Tour season, his win at the Valspar Championship in 2025 notwithstanding.
The seven-time PGA Tour winner has been driving the ball terribly for a long time now, and it’s fair to argue that he is really overcomplicating matters.
Hovland has played six PGA Tour events so far in 2026, and his best finish so far has been a T-13.
Worryingly, the 28-year-old Norwegian missed the cut at the Valspar Championship last week, and his game looked a long way off where it should be just ahead of major season.
Hovland has explained his driving as a ‘tremendous problem’, and he needs to address that issue as a matter of urgency.
However, it seems that Hovland may well be causing many of his own problems.
Johnson Wagner is concerned by Viktor Hovland
Johnson Wagner has just outlined one very big concern he has about Hovland.
When speaking on the Golf on CBS show, Wagner responded when asked what he has made of Hovland’s start to the 2026 season.
“I’m very concerned about Viktor Hovland,“ Wagner admitted.
“I mean, he was in the press centre before the tournament started at Valspar, and he is just always searching for something.
“I just wish he could be content and, like, work on the same thing over and over, but that’s just not his nature.
“I’m concerned about him going into the major season. It’s just too much.
“He’s always trying to find an answer and I don’t think there is the answer he’s looking for.
“I think he just needs to be content with his ball-striking, because he’s a great ball-striker, no matter if his swing feels off or not, it looks the same.
“I just wish he’d be comfortable in his own skin, and not always try to find something different.“
What Viktor Hovland has said about his driving
Ahead of the Valspar Championship, the Norwegian spoke about his issues off the tee.
“I’ve been still struggling off the tee tremendously,“ Hovland said just last week.
“I feel like I’m doing a great job overcoming some of those deficiencies.
“I do feel like it’s been a real struggle out there on the golf course, but I’ve done a really good job scoring.
“So I feel like my scoring game is in a good spot, I just need to find some shots off the tee, even into the greens, like particularly with my longer clubs.
“If I can find a certain feel there and have a sense of predictability, I think we’ll be in a very good spot.“
Perhaps Hovland should simply return to what made him so successful during the 2023 season. As Johnson Wagner said, he seems to be overcomplicating matters.
And that is never conducive to success out on the golf course.