Viktor Hovland is fresh off a win at the Travelers Championship. But this weekend, his focus isn’t just on the Genesis Scottish Open. It’s on the World Cup.
Norway plays England in the quarterfinals on Saturday. And Hovland, a Norwegian who loves his soccer, has already started the trash talk. He’s not holding back.
“I hope they lose and come crying out on Sunday morning,” Hovland told reporters at The Renaissance Club. He was laughing, but he meant it. “I feel like it’s a very sensitive subject for them, so it might cut a little too deep there if I push too hard.”
England fans know what he means. The team hasn’t won a World Cup since 1966. Norway has never won one at all. But with Erling Haaland leading the charge, the Norwegians knocked off Brazil 2-1 in the Round of 16. England needed a 3-2 win over Mexico to get here. Both teams survived scares. Now they meet for a spot in the semifinals.
The Viking Row Is Coming to the Golf Course
A reporter asked Hovland about the viral Viking Row chant that has taken over Norway’s World Cup matches. Fans lock arms and sway in unison, rowing like their ancestors. It’s a spectacle. And Hovland wants in.
“Love it. Let’s do it on Sunday. That would be great,” he said. “First tee, we’re doing the rowing if we beat England.”
So if you’re watching the opening round of the Scottish Open and you hear a bunch of guys grunting like they’re paddling a longship, now you know why. Hovland might trade his golf cap for a Viking helmet if Norway pulls it off.
The banter is good-natured. But there’s real edge here. England is the favorite on paper. Norway is the underdog with a superstar striker and a whole country behind them. And Hovland, an eight-time PGA Tour winner, is riding a hot streak. He won the Travelers last month. He’s playing some of the best golf of his career. Maybe that momentum carries over to the soccer pitch.
Probably not. But he can hope.
“First tee, we’re doing the rowing,” he repeated. And if Norway wins, you’ll hear it.
Leave a Comment