OPEN DE FRANCE

September 23, 2026

Viktor Hovland

Le Golf National

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: I'm pleased to welcome World No. 13, Viktor Hovland, to the media centre. Viktor, this is your first time teeing it up at Continental Europe's oldest national open. How excited are you to be playing this week?

VIKTOR HOVLAND: Very excited. This is a great golf course, and got to play here at the 2026 Olympics. And I didn't play my best, but I was really impressed by the golf course.

And looking at some of the people that won here, it's a good history and looks like a really cool tournament. So wanted to be here.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. When and how did you decide to play the Open different this year? What was the decision?

VIKTOR HOVLAND: I don't remember exactly when, but it was early in the year, and we were just kind of looking at potential tournaments that I wanted to play in the fall. And I didn't want to play a whole lot in the fall, and I wanted some time to relax and work on some things in the offseason. And I figured right after the playoffs, there's a few good tournaments that I'd like to play that I haven't played before.

I think this time of the year is a good opportunity to go and travel and play some courses and places that I haven't played before, and I thought French Open kind of fit perfectly in that time frame.

I think it's a good time of year. Weather is nice, and I really liked the golf course from playing here two years ago. So I thought, yeah, I might as well come here and play.

Q. Just elaborate on your first answer, when you said that you found the golf course pretty impressive when you played here in the Olympics, what makes you think this course is impressive?

VIKTOR HOVLAND: I think it's one of those places where if you play well, tee to green, if you hit the ball well, you can really separate yourself.

It's very demanding off the tee. I think the rough was maybe a little bit thicker in '24 for the Olympics than it is now. I understand the summer has been very warm, and it's hard to maybe grow as thick of a rough.

But there's a lot of water, especially on the back nine, there's a lot of just demanding and intimidating shots that I think if you know where the ball is going, you can really separate yourself and, yeah, play well.

I think it's just a very fair golf course.

Q. When you played a tournament like that, which is by far different from any majors, Ryder Cup, do you feel that you're back to the basic of golf, enjoying a course, enjoying playing golf with less pressure, less media maybe, and maybe more relaxed? Do you feel like that? And is it -- are you able to play your A game in this condition, or you prefer to be under pressure to play your A game?

VIKTOR HOVLAND: Yeah, good question. Yeah, I mean, it's definitely less noise, if you will, than it is compared to a major championship or FedEx Cup playoff or a very big tournament.

But at the same time, I still have just the same pressure on myself. I don't come here to just go on vacation and have a good time. Obviously, I want to have a good time, but I still try to compete and perform as well as I can. And I still have very high expectations to myself.

So I come here and try to play my best every single time I tee it up. It doesn't matter if it's the French Open or it's the U.S. Open. I still want to bring the intensity and see how good I can play.

Q. Does the French Open deserve a field like this every year for you?

VIKTOR HOVLAND: I think the -- especially with the history and the golf course, I think it is definitely one of the marquee events I think for this fall. I think -- now, just looking at the schedule, in general, there are a lot of strong DP World Tour events this fall.

And it might be hard for everyone to have the same schedule. I think guys might want to play three or four different tournaments, and they might not pick French Open every single time. But I would hope, at least, that maybe if these three big names don't play, maybe other three big names will play this week.

I think it definitely deserves to have a great field every single year.

Q. When you're back on the European Tour, a classic tournament like that, playing the whole season, almost the whole season on the PGA TOUR, what is the main difference you pinpoint between those tours in terms of atmosphere? Not golf-wise. Atmosphere, all around. What is the main difference for you?

VIKTOR HOVLAND: Yeah, I mean, I've lived in the States for almost ten years now. So I definitely feel very Americanized. But I am Norwegian, and this feels way closer to home.

And I really just enjoy that every single week on the DP World Tour, you're in a completely different country, different culture, different language. There's always something new to see. I think just the people out here are very friendly.

It's, yeah, maybe a little bit more relaxed, and it feels like you can maybe get to know other competitors or other people a little bit more than I'd say on the PGA TOUR.

Q. Which is more difficult, you would say?

VIKTOR HOVLAND: Yeah, I'd say it's just -- you know, just a little cultural difference. And it's very competitive over there. Everyone has like their own team and they have their own schedule that they abide by very strictly.

Over here, everyone kind of seems to stay at the same hotels, go to the same restaurants for dinner. You know, it's just a little different vibe. And I do quite enjoy it. But I think mostly just because, you know, that is more the European culture, I'd say.

Q. We had here yesterday two French players playing on the DP World Tour all year long talking about the good vibes they felt about the back nine phase of the DP World Tour, talking about as we get to Wentworth or (indiscernible). How do you like the likelihood of this phase maybe in the coming years becoming the fall series of world elite golf?

VIKTOR HOVLAND: I think that would be a great, great situation. Just looking on that schedule, there's a lot of tournaments I'm playing here for the first time, there's a lot of tournaments that I'd like to play. Obviously, I can't play all of them because I do want to spend this time to have an offseason and work on my game.

But I do want this fall season to be strong. And I think it seems like a lot of big-time players are going to come over here and play, which I think is great, and I'd like to play a few more tournaments in the future.

So, yeah, if these tournaments can improve in strength, I'm all for it.

Q. What are your memories of the Team Europe victories here?

VIKTOR HOVLAND: Yeah, I wasn't on the team then. So I honestly don't remember what I was doing then --

Q. (Indiscernible) your score, yes.

VIKTOR HOVLAND: Yes. Because it was 18 here. I turned pro at 19. So I missed it by just a year. But I remember watching a little bit. It looked very -- like very narrow off the tee, very thick rough. It just looked like it played like a U.S. Open. And obviously Team Europe had some great memories here.

So, yeah, it was really cool. But other than that, I can't tell you a whole lot.