TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP

August 26, 2023

Viktor Hovland

East Lake Golf Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Why is winning the FedExCup important to you?

VIKTOR HOVLAND: The list of names that's been on that trophy is pretty special. Obviously it's maybe not a marathon, but it feels more like a sprint. Obviously it's a marathon getting into this week. But it's hard to win the FedExCup if you haven't played well the last few weeks. It's just a great list of names that's won the tournament, and we would -- it would be awesome to have my name on there.

Q. When was the last time you led by six at a tournament?

VIKTOR HOVLAND: No idea. No idea.

Q. Is it an unfamiliar place with, like, junior golf? College golf?

VIKTOR HOVLAND: Yeah, I can't remember I've led by that many shots, so I guess it's a little unfamiliar.

Q. What were the clubs and distances on the approaches on 12 and 13?

VIKTOR HOVLAND: 12, I hit a gap wedge from -- I had 122 meters, so 135.

13, you said? 13, I had 109 meters, so 120. And that was a sand wedge.

Q. You said you're trending in the right direction. Is this as well as you've played certainly this year or can you remember the last time you've played this well for this long?

VIKTOR HOVLAND: Like, putting it all together, I don't think I've ever played this well before, with this stretch, just putting all the short game and stuff together. I've certainly hit the ball this good before. I feel like I've hit the ball better than I have this week and even last week.

But it's just about putting it all together and it seemed like the good weeks that I've had before I've always managed to short-side myself or chip a couple times and end up out of contention. But the last few weeks have been -- even this year I feel like I've just become a little bit more complete, and I don't have to hit it my best to be in contention. I don't have to hit every shot pure. I can miss it slightly and get up-and-down and move on.

Q. How are you going to spend the time between now and the tee time tomorrow?

VIKTOR HOVLAND: Well, thankfully, the tee times are a little bit earlier tomorrow. So the day won't be -- it won't feel like it's going to be as long before or from waking up to the tee time. But, right now, just jump in the ice bath and get some physio done and just go to bed. And, yeah, the tee time will come around pretty quickly.

Q. How big a goal was this at the beginning of the year for you?

VIKTOR HOVLAND: Obviously eyeing it. To win the FedExCup is pretty cool. That's where all the tournaments we play earlier in the year leads to. So, obviously, that's a huge achievement. But I just try to control the things that I can control. Work on the things that I've been working on. My short game, some of the shots that I've been hitting, that's the stuff I think is really cool to see. Then it's just a matter of implementing it in the tournament. That's what I've been able to do the last couple weeks, basically the whole year, and, yeah, it's fun to see the results that come from that.