28 August 2023 , 12:43
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Viktor Hovland is £14million richer after winning the PGA Tour Championship and FedEx Cup, but doesn't seem too prepared to splash the cash.
Hovland, 25, won the final event of the playoffs by five strokes on 27 under after holding off pressure from American player Xander Schauffele. A bogey-free seven-under-par 63 from the Norwegian was enough to triumph at East Lake in Atlanta.
The win takes his total earnings this year from the sport to a record £27.4m. Hovland has also won the Memorial Tournament and BMW Championship during a successful summer that continues for him with a spot at the Ryder Cup.
However, he is hardly letting these newfound riches change who he is. The World No.3 admitted as much after this latest feat.
"Obviously, it's a lot of cash you're playing for," he told reporters at a press conference after the win. "I mean, it's in the back of your mind.
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"But I live in Stillwater, Oklahoma [the tenth-largest city in the state with a population of less than 50,000]. Money goes a long way there. It's not like I'm spending money out the wazoo every week. I don't need a lot to be happy. I don't need a lot to live within my means.
"So obviously it's nice, you know, for my family to have that protection and my, you know, eventual kids that I'll have in the future. It's nice to have that, but it's not something that drives me.
Hovland is enjoying the most lucrative year of his career (Jason Allen/ISI Photos/Getty Images)"It's not something that gives me, you know, meaning. I find meaning in other places. But obviously, with how society works, money is something you need."
Addressing the victory itself earlier on Sunday, Hovland could not quite believe what he had achieved. "It's pretty surreal to be standing here right now," he said.
The Norwegian added: “This is for all the hard work I have done. I have played some of my best golf over the last two weeks, but this still all feels pretty surreal.”
Rory McIlroy, who finished fourth two strokes behind America's Wyndham Clark and 13 short of his fellow European, was particularly complimentary about Hovland ahead of the Ryder Cup. "If someone came along to any of us on the team and said: ‘We’re going to put you out with Viktor today,’ I don’t think anyone would say no,” he said.
“Just put it that way. Fourballs, foursomes. It’s Viktor, but it’s also Shay [Knight], his caddie. They’re a great duo, great to get along with. I really enjoyed my day with him on Sunday last week when he shot the lights out. The other 11 guys on the European team - I don’t think would have an issue if they went out with Viktor.”
Hovland, McIlroy and Masters champion Jon Rahm are the three players already assured of a place on Luke Donald 's team. Tommy Fleetwood and Tyrrell Hatton are also in line to qualify.