Wentworth, england – Viktor Hovland acknowledged a frustrating struggle off the tee despite remaining in contention at the BMW PGA Championship, finishing the second round one shot behind leader Hideki Matsuyama.Hovland carded a score that left him at 11 under, alongside Justin Rose and Ludvig Åberg, but expressed dissatisfaction with his game.
“It’s making the game a bit more stressful than it should be,” Hovland said. “It’s just frustrating as a golfer when this is my game. I step up and I have an intention of wanting to start the ball a certain height and start it left of the target and curve it, and then the ball starts high and right, complete opposite of what I’m trying to do. That’s just frustrating. But I know how to play. So I’m doing the best I can.”
Hovland referenced a previous dip in form, stating, “I shot 80 at the Players earlier this year and I won the next week. I woudl rather not play the game of golf that way because that is not how I used to do it. Obviously I like to focus on what I need to work on, but at the same time I need to be proud of myself that I’m still able to come around here and compete after two rounds when it doesn’t feel very good.” He added, “I’m super happy to be where I’m at and scoring-wise, it’s incredible to be honest. I really am struggling off the tee and I’m just trying to do whatever I can just to put it in the fairway. Trying not to hit it off line and in the trees. But I do want to play the game a little bit more stress-free.”
Matsuyama leads at 12 under after a second-round 64.
Looking ahead to the Ryder Cup at Bethpage, Hovland expressed confidence in the European team. “I think the record speaks for itself,” he said. “all the guys have had great years. I think what’s really cool is that we have 11 out of the 12 same guys [from the last Ryder Cup] and we have the same captain. As a team, we’re a known commodity.We certainly know that this is accomplished.” He suggested a potential advantage over the American team, noting, “They maybe have some more insecurities, maybe. I think a strength that we have is we certainly know our squad well and we know that it effectively works.”
elsewhere,Rory McIlroy finished with a level par 72,including a double bogey on the last,leaving him eight shots behind Hovland. Shane Lowry also sits at McIlroy’s aggregate score after a 74. Jon Rahm is four under, and Robert MacIntyre is at minus two. rasmus Højgaard,an automatic qualifier for the European Ryder Cup team,missed the cut at five over par. Marcel Siem was disqualified after playing the wrong ball on the 18th hole of his first round.
