(Guidonia Montecelio) Viktor Hovland’s greatest shot at the Ryder Cup may have come a day too early.
Hovland stunned spectators and members of the European team by scoring a hole-in-one on the par-4 fifth hole during his final practice round on Thursday.
His tee shot landed softly on the front of the green before rolling calmly into the cup for an albatross. When he heard the cries of joy from the spectators at the edge of the green, the 26-year-old Norwegian threw his driver onto the lawn before quickly hugging his playing partner Matthew Fitzpatrick and vice-captain Nicolas Colsaerts.
Except… it was Hovland’s second ball on this hole.
The fourth golfer in the world, who is participating in the Ryder Cup for the second time in his career, will get the opportunity to repeat his feat on Friday, when the competition kicks off with the four-player format. He will play alongside rookie Ludvig Aberg, and the Europeans will face Max Homa and Brian Harman in the second match of the day on the Marco Simone course located on the outskirts of Rome.
