World No. 12 Viktor Hovland has withdrawn from his four-ball match Saturday. The European star player, Rory McIlroy, is out of commission with a nagging cervical strain that has left him unable to swing properly. The 26-year-old Norwegian was set to team with England’s Matt Fitzpatrick in the team event. Now, he has been usurped by England’s Tyrrell Hatton, who will seek to do battle with Americans Sam Burns and Patrick Cantlay.
Hovland had been playing through a neck injury that had developed over several months. This ailment led to him withdrawing from the Travelers Championship all the way back in June. Though he was dealing with that issue, he participated in a limited capacity in one of the day’s foursomes matches earlier. He and Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre earned a hard-fought victory against Russell Henley and Scottie Scheffler, 1 up.
“I didn’t want to risk it for the match in case it got worse and I couldn’t continue, especially in four-balls when you are hitting every shot,” Hovland explained regarding his decision to step back from the four-ball match.
The up and coming Young golfer does shott Hopefully He recovered. He’s been in constant motion planning how to get treatment for his injury later on Saturday. “I’m going to get some treatment this afternoon and tonight and hopefully I will be OK for the singles tomorrow,” he stated, indicating his intention to return to play.
Deep down, if you know Hovland, he’s very, very competitive. He’ll be looking to make a major impact on the European squad’s performance at this elite multi-national affair. His focus now is on getting on the mend. Both his fans and teammates alike are waiting, with bated breath, to see if he’s able to make a triumphant return for the singles matches on Sunday.
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