Viktor Hovland pays back Memorial win with job as caddy
DUBLIN, Ohio (BVM) – Viktor Hovland returned to the top of the heap at the 2023 Memorial Tournament following a one-hole playoff win over Denny McCarthy. The finish, which was Hovland’s first win since 2021, didn’t stop the Norwegian golfer from fulfilling his commitments the next day.
Not even 24 hours after his victory at Muirfield Village, Hovland was spotted caddying for his college roommate, Zach Bauchou, on Golf’s Longest Day. With 36 holes on the schedule, Bauchou is hoping to secure his spot amongst other amateurs for a spot in the upcoming U.S. Open, with some help from the recent PGA Tour title winner.
Now THAT is a teammate!
Not even 24 hours after winning @PGATOUR's @MemorialGolf, Viktor Hovland is back out on Golf's Longest Day caddieing for his former @OSUCowboyGolf roommate Zach Bauchou. pic.twitter.com/SBXgqCVeL6
— U.S. Open (@usopengolf) June 5, 2023
Bauchou and Hovland were teammates on Oklahoma State University’s national championship-winning squad back in 2018. The year marked the end of the two’s time at the NCAA level as they both moved on to pursue opportunities on the professional circuit.
Hovland is hoping he can share some of his success from over the weekend after picking up his fourth PGA Tour title. The 25-year-old had been playing well as of late and Sunday’s win was the final stamp on his improving play.
“I’ve been playing well, but I’ve just been trying to stay within myself and play my own game,” Hovland said following his round at the Memorial Tournament. “Maybe before I would have fired at some pins that I shouldn’t have fired at. I just played smart, played my game and came up clutch this time. It feels even better after some close calls the last few months.”
With top-ten finishes in the past three major championships, Hovland’s ability to stick around finally paid off as he locked down one of the biggest trophies of his career. Just a few weeks ago, he finished tied for second with Scottie Scheffler at the PGA Championship.
With the recent win, Hovland will make his fifth U.S. Open appearance at the Los Angeles Country Club.
