Viktor Hovland’s shirt shocking but his game electric as he shares Masters lead with Jon Rahm, Brooks Koepka
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Brooks Koepka reacts after putting for a birdie on the 18th hole to complete his first round.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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AUGUSTA – Viktor Hovland wore a shocking pink and white polo shirt for Thursday’s opening round of the 87th Masters but his game was even more electrifying.
The 25-year-old Norwegian broke 70 for the first time at Augusta National, firing a seven-under 65 to grab a share of the lead with Spain’s Jon Rahm and American Brooks Koepka.
“You know a good score is out there, but you can’t really force it,” said Hovland. “You’ve just got to let it happen and if you have some makeable putts, you’ve got to make them and then you can get into a rhythm.
“But it’s one of those things, you push too hard and it will backfire.”
The world No. 9 made five birdies and an eagle at the par-five second hole with a 25-foot putt to dazzle the crowd.
As exciting as Hovland’s performance was, it paled in comparison to his shirt, an epic mix of huge pink and white azaleas with green trim, a nod to the beautiful flowers on display across the famed Augusta National.
It looked part-Picasso, part-paint spill, and was selected by his clothing sponsor J. Lindberg, the same Swedish brand that dressed him in pink pants in 2022.
“I had nothing to do with it. I just wear what they tell me to wear,” Hovland said.
“It’s definitely a little bit out there, but I think I’d rather take these than the pink pants I had last year, so we’re making progress.”
Hovland kept his cool while playing alongside 15-time Major champion Tiger Woods and Tokyo Olympic champion Xander Schauffele, fans cheering on Woods as he struggled to walk across the course due to leg injuries from a 2021 car crash.
It was a far cry from how Hovland reacted when he learnt he would play alongside Woods, who hosted the Hero World Challenge event in the Bahamas that Hovland won in 2021 and 2022.
“Heart rate started going up,” said Hovland. “After that, I calmed myself down and thought, ‘This is going to be very exciting’. You’ve just got to embrace it.
“You can’t be scared or anything like that.
“If you want to win this tournament, you can’t be scared about playing with Tiger. So you’ve just got to overcome things like that.”
Hovland is coming off his best Major finish after sharing fourth at 2022’s British Open. He has won three PGA Tour titles, the most recent in 2020 and 2021 at Mayakoba, and two DP World Tour titles, the most recent in 2022 in Dubai.
Rahm, meanwhile, could not have had a worse start. He said he had drawn on the memories of his late compatriot Seve Ballesteros after he recovered from a double bogey on the first hole to take a share of the lead.
The world No. 3 and one of the favourites to slip on the green jacket on Sunday, four-putted the opening par-four hole but recovered quickly.
Rahm said that as he left the first green, he recalled a famous line from the two-time Masters winner.
“I remembered Seve’s quote, when he four-putted at the Masters. I just kept thinking to myself, ‘Well, I miss, I miss, I miss, I make. Move on to the next,’” he said.
“I carried a little bit of that negative energy into the tee shot on two, hit it about 10 yards further than I usually do and moved on with my day.
“If you’re going to make a double-bogey, might as well do it on the first hole... when you have 71 holes to make it up.”
Norway's Viktor Hovland hits his tee shot on the 10th hole, during the first round.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Carrying LIV Golf’s flag on day one was Koepka.
The only blemish on the scorecard for the four-time Major champion, who won last week’s LIV Golf event in Orlando, came at the par-five 13th hole where he bogeyed after an errant tee shot forced him to take an unplayable lie.
Said Koepka: “There’s only really a couple things I care about: Going to work out and going to play golf and that’s it when we’re here, and nothing else really matters.
“It’s full focus on this and trying to walk out of here with a green jacket.”
Tiger Woods reacts after hitting his approach on the 11th hole during the first round.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Jason Day and Cameron Young were two shots off the lead. Pre-tournament favourite and world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, world No. 7 Schauffele and Major champions Shane Lowry, Adam Scott and Gary Woodland were among those a further shot back.
World No. 2 Rory McIlroy, who is making his ninth attempt at completing the career Grand Slam, opened with a 72 for tied 37th.
The eighth-ranked Will Zalatoris withdrew before the opening round due to injury. AFP, REUTERS
