Viktor Hovland Discusses Toe Injury and Swing Development Goals

Viktor Hovland’s return to golf hit an unexpected snag when he stubbed his toe in the dark of his Kapalua hotel room, breaking his pinkie toe just days before The Sentry tournament in Hawaii.

It wasn’t exactly how the Norwegian star planned to end his four-month break from competition.

“It’s the best one to break,” Hovland said with a laugh, explaining that at least it wouldn’t affect his swing too much.

The world’s No. 8 ranked golfer had just endured a grueling 24-hour journey from Norway to Hawaii. Dead tired, he fell asleep fully clothed, only to wake up in the middle of the night to turn down the lights. That’s when disaster struck.

“I stubbed it on the bed frame,” he said. “It happens.”

Despite limping noticeably during practice on Monday, Hovland remained optimistic. He’s taping the toe and taking painkillers to manage the pain.

But there’s a bigger challenge ahead.

“I think the walk is going to be the toughest part this week,” he admitted, referring to Kapalua’s famously steep terrain – the most challenging walking course on the tour.

His 122-day break from competition – the longest of his pro career – wasn’t just about rest. Hovland needed time to heal a nagging wrist injury and clear his head while working on his swing.

It’s been a period of change for the 26-year-old. He recently parted ways with swing coach Joe Mayo, though he’s still consulting with another unnamed coach. His ultimate goal? Going solo.

“I’ve come to understand quite a bit myself,” Hovland said. “Hopefully in the future I can own my game, own my swing.”

2023 was a mixed bag for the FedExCup champion. Despite feeling off his game, he nearly won a major with a third-place finish at the PGA Championship and came close to winning a playoff event.

“From a feel standpoint, it was as bad as it could have felt,” he reflected. “It’s cool to look back that I almost won a major, almost won a playoff event. I think I’ve got to take that with me a little more and tell myself it’s better than what it feels like.”

Now, with a broken toe and refreshed mindset, Hovland’s looking to get back to his roots.

“That’s how it was when I came out there. I had one shot and I played that. And it was good. So we’ll see.”