Victor Hovland embraced the local Hawaiian culture in his first event of the new PGA TOUR schedule at The Sentry at Kapalua, in kick starting a year in which the young gun will have his sights firmly set on major championship success.
There or there abouts for most of the week at The Sentry, Hovland couldn’t quite reel in eventual winner Chris Kirk, however there was enough to like about his initial outing to have his supporters believing he can build on his exceptional 2023 season.
The winner of the Tour Championship in August, the PGA TOUR’s FedEx Cup finale, Hovland emerged as the next big thing with his victory in Atlanta, backing it up with a stirring performance at the Ryder Cup soon after – and he did it with an Australian by his side and carrying his PING golf bag.
Shay Knight, from Sydney’s north shore and a former member at Cammeray and The Australian Golf clubs, and a quality player in his own right, has been caddy and confidant almost from the time Hovland left the Oklahoma State University to turn pro, the pair officially teaming up at the 2019 Travelers Championship.
Victor Hovland and his caddy, Australian Shay Knight, have struck up a successful partnership.
“It’s really exciting for me. I’m as excited now as when I first came out on Tour to be able to watch a kid grow out here” Knight told Golf Monthly in an interview in mid-2023.
And grow Hovland certainly has, with 10 professional victories at just 26 years of age and in only his fourth year as a professional, six of those on the PGA TOUR, along with two top-10 finishes in the majors in 2023, and the sky is the limit.
“He has the ability to take one side of the golf course out of play, which is huge,” Knight continued. “He drives it very straight. I’m also impressed with his mental approach. He’s a very calm guy. He can get angry, but lets it go quickly.”
After opening with an 8-under par 65 at The Sentry, Hovland kept pace with a 67 in round two. Things were travelling smoothly in round three until a bogey on 13, then a triple bogey 7 on 14 stalled his progress. And with the scores as low as they were throughout the week, unfortunately there was no coming back, with Hovland finishing in a tie for 22nd, eight shots behind the winner.
After playing at Kapalua, Hovland skipped the Sony Open at Waialae however no doubt he will reappear somewhere on the American west coast during the early part of the season, before setting himself for major success, beginning at The Masters in April.
In contention for most of the week at Augusta in 2023, a 74 on Sunday when paired with Brooks Koepka in the final group may have cruelled his chances, however there is no doubt he’ll be back for more in golf’s biggest tournaments in 2024.
And Hovland will be doing his thing with an Aussie by his side.
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