Viktor Hovland Still Unhappy With Game Despite Strong 65 at Pebble Beach
Viktor Hovland shot an impressive 7-under 65 in the first round of the 2025 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, but remains dissatisfied with his overall game performance.
Despite being just one shot off Russell Henley's lead, Hovland expressed continued frustration with his swing. The Norwegian candidly admitted that he's struggling with his game, stating "In my opinion, I suck at it right now — but that's all relative."
The 27-year-old is working through technical issues while trying to maintain competitive form. His current strategy involves:
- Focusing less on technical aspects during tournament play
- Managing expectations while working through swing changes
- Attempting to play strategic golf even when not at his best
- Continuing refinements away from competition
"I'm still not happy with my game, how it looks, but that doesn't mean that I can't have great individual days or great individual tournaments," Hovland explained after his round. He acknowledges the mental toll of competing at a high level while working through swing modifications.
Coming off his best season in 2023, Hovland remains optimistic about returning to elite form. His approach now centers on finding ways to score effectively while continuing to develop his game, focusing on progress rather than perfection.
"Let's try to plot my way around and shoot okay scores, and then we can work on things after the round and just keep getting a little bit better," Hovland said, highlighting his pragmatic approach to improvement while maintaining competitiveness.