“Supposed to Bluff”: After His $3.6M Glory, Viktor Hovland Divulges the Essence of Poker in His Game Thanks to His Veteran Italian Mentor
Since Viktor Hovland turned professional in 2019, he has had 9 official wins under his belt. This has allowed the golfer to display his caliber in the sports arena and make a strong statement. But, what if behind his recent rise to fame, including the $3. 6 million title, is not just his hard work but smart play with the help of a fellow player?
That’s exactly what the Norwegian golfer delved into at his recent press conference on Wednesday. It involved a bit of poker tactics, an Italian golfer cum statistician, and some interesting disclosures. On top of it all, it showcased the beautiful mix-up of numbers in the improvement of the quality of shots.
Hence, when asked about his teaming up with Edoardo Molinari, Viktor Hovland provided a straightforward answer. Touching on his Augusta performance [T7], the 5 time PGA Tour winner revealed how during the 2023 Masters the Italian big brain helped him look at his game differently.
Looking at his numbers, Molinari told Hovland that something was missing from his strokeplay. To better deliver his point, he made an analogy with the game of poker. In terms of poker, Hovland’s frequencies were “a bit off,” per the Italian statistician. Drawing onto the same, the 25-year-old elaborated that there are times when one needs to bet, moments to check-raise, and “supposed to bluff“. But, most importantly, one needs to know when to short side.
