Viktor Hovland’s interest in Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs) is real, although golf you imagine will be his priority in the coming days.
The Norwegian first revealed his interest – part distraction, part intrigue – in those flying objects after winning the Valspar Championship on the PGA Tour earlier this season and explained the rationale in allowing UFOs into his world.
“I think I’ve always been extremely into my golf, and sometimes you just look at your golf swing and trying to practice hard and you don’t really get the results that you want. It can be quite frustrating, and I think it’s [UFOs] been one of those things that I’ve kind of taken my mind off of golf a little bit,” he said.
“It’s one of those things that you don’t really find any more answers, but it’s very interesting to go in there and kind of challenge some of your beliefs that you currently hold and you kind of have to expand your mind a little bit. I think it’s super fascinating.”
READ MORE
Two’s company
Not one but two Irish Government ministers have made it to Bethpage before the official handover to Adare Manor for the 2027 Ryder Cup, which will be the centenary of the match.
Charlie McConalogue, the Minister of State for Sport, attended the opening ceremony on Wednesday. Patrick O’Donovan, the Minister for Sport, is to attend Sunday’s closing ceremony.
“Adare Manor is set to be a spectacular host for the 2027 tournament and our presence in New York is a powerful statement of our readiness and excitement,” O’Donovan said.
“This is a chance to show the world that Ireland is a premier destination for major international events and we look forward to welcoming the global golf community to Limerick in just over two years’ time.”
Family comes first
Parental leave is as good an excuse as any to explain Sepp Straka’s lack of game time in the build-up to the Ryder Cup, having not played a tournament since the Tour Championship at East Lake a month ago.
Straka and wife Paige celebrated the arrival of their second child in early August, which meant the Austrian missed the BMW Championship (the second of the FedEx Cup playoffs) and was barely competitive in playing the Tour Championship before taking time away.
“We’ve been very fortunate that we’ve got a great team looking after our son. We’re blessed, very lucky. He came a little early, but it’s been great. Obviously wasn’t able to travel to Wentworth [for the BMW PGA] like I wanted or I was planning to before,” Straka said.
“My wife’s been incredible. The doctors have been incredible. It’s allowed me to kind of dedicate a lot of time to try to prepare for this at home and also spend a lot of time with my family.”
Sticks and stones may break my bones...
Jon Rahm and Shane Lowry got a fit of the giggles during practice the other day when a spectator threw out a barb – including using the word Ozempic – at the slimmed-down duo who have actually worked hard on their fitness regimes.
And Bob MacIntyre is looking out for himself for whatever comes his way from the spectators in the Scot’s second Ryder Cup appearance after a fine debut in Rome two years ago.
“I just play golf. The crowds are here to watch us at the end of the day, whether they are for you or against you. It’s going to be what it is and my job is to go and play good golf, same as the rest of the European guys, and if we do our jobs well, then we’ll be happy,” he said.
“We can’t control them. I can control me. I can control what happens within our group. So, yeah, I’ve heard a few things before. I’ll hear a few things this week. But I suppose it’s part of the game.”
Quote
“If you look at my picture of my four Ryder Cups, it’s got gradually less. If I’m lucky to make five, I think it will be skin” – Tyrrell Hatton on his vanishing hairline.
Number: 128 v 56
Europe’s team has the greater experience for this latest edition of the Ryder Cup, with a combined 128 matches played as against 56 by the US. Rory McIlroy, with 33 matches, is the most experienced of the Europeans. Justin Thomas, with 13 matches, is the most experienced US player.
