Viktor Hovland leads Valspar Championship after strong round
Viktor Hovland is sharing the lead at the Valspar Championship with Shane Lowry after a strong performance on Friday. Hovland, who shot a 1-under 70 in the first round, has struggled in recent tournaments, making it difficult to predict his performance. Hovland's recent form has been inconsistent since winning the 2023 FedExCup. He acknowledges that he needs to improve his game, particularly his ball-striking and putting skills. Recently, he reconnected with his swing coach, Grant Waite, to focus on his technique. Despite his challenges, Hovland felt he made significant progress on Friday, especially in putting. He gained almost 2.5 strokes on the field compared to the previous day, showing improvement in his control of the ball. Hovland is looking to see how well he can perform under pressure as he heads into the weekend. He emphasizes that while he is pleased to be at the top of the leaderboard, his main goal is to continue improving his game. Hovland knows that being hard on himself is part of what drives his success in golf.