Viktor Hovland’s unconventional method tames tough 15th at Riviera

LOS ANGELES – The fans laughed and pointed as they walked past Viktor Hovland in the early hours of Friday’s second round of The Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club.

The Norwegian superstar was sizing up his approach shot at the notoriously difficult par-4 15th, but doing so from the 17th fairway, which to the untrained eye appeared to be significantly off target.

But Hovland was over there for the second consecutive round having devised a strategy to play down the wrong fairway to minimize the danger of the tough dogleg right hole. It was a strategy years in the making having first attempted it as an amateur.

And with some lost trees in recent times thanks to a few big storms, the method became even more tempting for Hovland. In the lead up to the tournament he and caddie Shay Knight talked about the strategy but didn’t unveil it until Thursday.

“We were obviously talking about it in the practice rounds and trying to be as stealthy as we could,” Hovland laughed during his explanation after making a stress-free par for the second day running.

The 14th traditionally demands an extremely accurate tee shot down a narrow shoot with tall trees down the right and a significant bunker complex protecting the same side. The dogleg shortens the space on the left side with rough ready to catch errant shots. Even an accurate drive creates a demanding and long second shot to a V-shaped green of significant slope.

Over the past five editions of The Genesis Invitational, it has averaged well over par at 4.247, 4.306, 4.272, 4.257 and 4.177 and in Thursday’s opening round the field averaged 4.378 with just eight birdies.

But with the space to aim through Hovland punished his drives backwards down the par-5 17th – careful to be aware of fellow competitors and fans of course – and attacked the green from there.

“I did that at the U.S. Amateur here in 2017. Actually, got to give my buddy Zach Bauchou some credit. He was the guy that first mentioned it,” Hovland continued.

“I did it there and I did it once last year, I believe it was the third day and it was humming downwind. I think I hit a driver and a sand wedge in there. And there's not too much trouble there I thought.

“Obviously that bunker on the left side (of 17) is no good, but at the same time the bunker down 15 on the right is no good either. (This way) just fits my eye.”

With rounds of 71-64 Hovland sits 7-under heading to the weekend and inside the top-10, albeit well back of leader Joaquin Niemann (16-under). The strategy will continue as he looks to reel in the Chilean over the weekend.

“Regardless of how the other guys play, I know my game plan and I've just got to go and execute,” he said. “If I play more like I did today the next couple of days, it could be interesting.”