HERO DUBAI DESERT CLASSIC

January 21, 2026

Viktor Hovland

Majlis Course at Emirates Golf Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Back in Dubai, how is the mood heading into the week?

VIKTOR HOVLAND: It's good. It's nice to have had a holiday break and then come back out here, start practicing and wiping off some rust. Site excited for 2026 to get started.

Q. A pretty full on year last year. How important was it to get a break at the end of the year and reset?

VIKTOR HOVLAND: It was very nice, especially with some lingering neck problems at the end of the year, it was nice to shut down and relax and make sure that that doesn't come back to bite me, and just get away from the game and come back and be super motivated to get to work and get started.

Q. Talk about that motivation. Given your high standards, you didn't particularly start last year in great form; found it towards the end of the season. How important is it to put that right as you head out in this campaign?

VIKTOR HOVLAND: Yeah, you always want to get off to a good start but at the end of the day, if I don't have the best tournament here or if I do play well, I'm not going to let this kind of decide how the rest of the year is going to pan out.

What matters most is that I'm receiving improvements in my game, and in practice that I'm hitting the shots that I want to hit and things are feeling better. I would say the last week, it's been really, really good. Because when I first came down here two weeks ago, or almost three weeks ago now to try to practice, it was pretty rough.

So, it's nice to see things kind of going in the right direction, and then as long as that keeps going, I'm pleased with that.

Q. I suppose it's nice to start off at a place where you've got a bit of history with as well?

VIKTOR HOVLAND: Yeah, 2022 has already been four years. But it's pretty cool just to come back out here and play the course and reminiscing about some of the shots that I hit.

Yeah, it was such a nice golf course, and the stands just keep getting bigger and bigger out here. It's a lovely tournament.

Q. Just finally, the challenge that this golf course presents. The rough seems to be up quite high this year. It's going to be a real test this week.

VIKTOR HOVLAND: Yeah, you've really got to drive it well out here, and that's kind of been -- I would say, the last part of my game where I need to kind of get in check off the tee. But I'm seeing some really nice improvements. So if I can put the ball in the fairway, I like my chances around here. But yeah, it's no joke, this place.