Unfortunate Star Faces Freak Injury Just Days Before 2025 Tournament Debut

Viktor Hovland will return to competition at The Sentry on Thursday after a lengthy 122-day hiatus, marking the most extended break of his professional career. The Norwegian sensation expressed his eagerness to get back on the course.

However, upon arrival in Hawaii, he faced an unexpected setback with a bizarre injury.

In the middle of the night, Hovland accidentally stubbed his pinkie toe on the bed frame, resulting in a clean break that he shared with his followers on Instagram.

Despite the injury, he maintained a positive outlook.

“It’s the best toe to break,” he jested, in reference to how it might impact his golf swing.

After a long journey of 24 hours from Norway to Kapalua, Hovland confessed to being so fatigued that he dozed off in his clothes.

“I got up in the night to turn off the lights and stubbed my toe on the bed frame,” he recounted. “These things happen.”

Despite a visible limp while practising chipping and putting on Tuesday at the Plantation course, Hovland reported that he was already feeling an improvement, having begun taping his toe and taking painkillers.

“I think the walking will be the trickiest part this week,” Hovland commented, alluding to the challenging undulations of the Kapalua course. “But my swing is steadily improving.”

The lengthy break was intentional; Hovland utilised the time away to recuperate from a persistent wrist injury while also focusing on resetting his mental approach to the game.

After parting ways with swing coach Joe Mayo, then reuniting before ultimately deciding to pursue a more independent path, Hovland experienced a mixed year in 2023 despite winning the FedEx Cup. He finished third at the PGA Championship and was a runner-up in the opening playoff event, despite not feeling entirely confident in his performance.

Hovland still qualified for the Tour Championship, ending up eighth in the world rankings.

“From a feeling perspective, it was about as tough as it gets,” he confessed. “But looking back, it’s incredible to think I nearly clinched a major and came close in a playoff event while making it to the Tour Championship. I need to remind myself that my achievements surpass how I might feel in the moment.”

During his four-month sabbatical, Hovland focused on refining his skills while also incorporating downtime. He felt progress was being made and believed his swing was improving, but he clarified that he wasn’t completely overhauling his technique.

“I wouldn’t say it was that drastic,” he stressed. “However, it is important to revisit the fundamentals. You need to reassess everything. If your attempts to improve aren’t yielding the expected results, it’s time to go back to basics.

“That’s often when things go wrong—when you start making fundamental changes and then end up compensating, leading to mental complications.”

Regarding his coaching situation, Hovland mentioned he is not currently working with Mayo and is consulting with a different coach whose identity he chose not to disclose.

Ultimately, his goal is to embrace independence in his game.

“I’ve learned a lot on my own,” he noted. “I trust my instincts, but it’s beneficial to have someone to consult with. I hope to fully own my game and swing. That’s how I approached the game initially, and it served me well. Time will tell.”