Oklahoma State star Viktor Hovland was not just the low novice in the field this week during the 119th U.S. Open at Pebble Beach yet additionally a record-setter as his 72-gap sign of 280 broke Jack Nicklaus’ U.S. Open record for the most reduced such score by a beginner.
Hovland’s 4-under 280 obscured Nicklaus’ imprint, which represented 59 years. Nicklaus was the low novice and sprinter up to Arnold Palmer at the 1960 U.S. Open in Cherry Hills, Colorado, with a score 282. Palmer beat Nicklaus by two in what might really be the main U.S. Open triumph over his seven noteworthy successes.
“I didn’t know that,” Hovland said with a laugh moments after the round while being interviewed by Fox Sports’ Joel Klatt. “Wow. I didn’t know that. That’s pretty cool.”
Hovland shot a 4-under round of 67 on Sunday at Pebble Beach, dropping four birdies on an intruder free front nine and completing the round with a birdie at 18 to top off the critical week. While we never observed Hovland at the highest point of the leaderboard, he was as relentless as anybody in the field this week, positioning in the best five in the two fairways and greens.
This exhibition shouldn’t come as an enormous shock since he was the low novice at the Masters prior this year, yet it avows the idea that he’s prepared to contend immediately as a star on the PGA Tour.
That challenge to hang as a star will start one week from now for Hovland and Oklahoma State partner Matthew Wolff. The two players are making their expert makes a big appearance one week from now at the Travelers Championship in Connecticut and will fight over the second 50% of the period to gain a spot on the PGA Tour for 2019-20.
So while Hovland set another novice record at the U.S. Open this week, the quick concern pushing ahead will win however much cash as could be expected in rewards to cut out a spot as the following youthful star from the