Do you think you know Victor Hofland?
You could. You can cite some stats, such as the fact that he’s currently ranked fifth in the world, that he has four career PGA Tour wins, and that he came That’s close To win his first major championship at the PGA Championship in Oak Hill. You might even know that the 25-year-old Norwegian went to Oklahoma State and won the 2018 USA Amateur.
But still, what does that really tell us about him? It’s a question Hovland thought.
“I think when you play golf, they watch you play golf,” Hovland told GOLF’s Dylan Dethier. “The guy I put on TV — I don’t think you can really get to know me just by watching me play. But I think if I had a podcast or something, and I talked 10 hours a week, and you listened to every hour, I think you probably would You get a pretty good idea of who I am as a person. But when I’m only playing golf on TV, I don’t think people really know you.”
Well, maybe Hovland is on to something. Would he consider doing his own podcast?
“No,” Hofland said with a smile. “I was just giving an example. I love listening to podcasts. I’m not the guy who’s really going to listen to myself talk.”
Hovland is happy to bow to his inquisitive nature. He says he doesn’t have a lot of hot spots or strong opinions. Instead, he likes to ask questions.
“I think I’m very open-minded. I’m curious,” he said. “I like to think of myself as an intellectual. I don’t take things for granted. I love discussions and arguments without any prejudices. I just like to chat and try to figure things out and learn.”
Hovland says he doesn’t really care what other people think. He just wants to do what he wants to do. What’s on the to-do list? Aside from chasing history on the PGA Tour, Hovland wants to travel. He’s already known to be an avid road-goer, driving thousands of miles to tournaments during the pandemic and enduring a 22-hour drive to Lofoten Links in Norway with some friends last year. The sexiest part of it all? Freedom. And he wants more.
“Travelling places and seeing amazing places in the world. Mysteries kind of grab my attention a little bit,” he said.
After one conversation, one thing seems clear: Whether it’s on or off the track, Hovland is sure to be going places.