World No.4 Viktor Hovland has withdrawn from the hotly-anticipated WM Phoenix Open this week in what would have been just his third PGA Tour start of 2024.
No official reason was given by PGA Tour Communications when the advisory message was posted on Monday, February 5 - three days before play is due to begin at TPC Scottsdale's Stadium Course - with Frenchman Victor Perez confirmed as his namesake's replacement.
Viktor Hovland WD from the WM Phoenix Open; Victor Perez in.Thorbjørn Olesen and Jorge Campillo WD from alternate list.Alexander Björk is now the first alternate.February 5, 2024
However, among the many theories floating about on social media, Eurosport Norway commentator Marius Thorp posted on X to explain Hovland's decision from an informed standpoint and clarify that the 26-year-old is aiming to tee it up at the Genesis Invitational - hosted by Tiger Woods - in less than two weeks' time.
Translated from Norwegian, Thorp's message read: "Confirmed that Viktor will take a week of training in Florida before returning to competition in the Genesis Invitational. Didn't feel comfortable with tournament play as it stands now, and wanted to figure out the swing and find a good feel for him going to LA!"
Fått bekreftet at Viktor tar en uke med trening i Florida før han returnerer til konkurranse i Genesis Invitational.Følte seg ikke komfortabel med turneringsspill slik ståa er nå og ønsket å finne ut av svingen og finne en gpd følelse for han drar til LA!@ESN_golfFebruary 5, 2024
Eurosport/Discovery's Espen Baker echoed Thorp's sentiments, writing in Norwegian: "No big surprise that Viktor drops Phoenix. Has several times previously withdrawn the week after a disappointing tournament. But considering that he had three free weeks before Pebble, it is clearly enough to work with!"
Hovland's withdrawal arrived the day after the reigning FedEx Cup champion's T58 result at the shortened AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and weeks after a highly-respectable T22 finish at The Sentry - his only other competitive appearance this year.
In California last week, Hovland went round in level-par 72 on Saturday to remain on three-under for the tournament prior to stormy weather cutting the limited-field Signature Event short.
Ingen stor overraskelse at Viktor dropper Phoenix. Har flere ganger tidligere trukket seg uken etter en skuffende turnering. Men med tanke på at han hadde tre friuker før Pebble er det tydeligvis nok å jobbe med!https://t.co/hGzCymaOKqFebruary 5, 2024
The high winds and rain proved to be no match for eventual champion, Wyndham Clark, though, with the 2023 US Open winner racking up an extraordinary 12-under score on what should have been the third day to ultimately take the title by one shot form Sweden's Ludvig Aberg.
Clark, Aberg, and Hovland have all recently stated they declined offers to join LIV Golf over the winter, but the Norwegian's decision to pull out of a PGA Tour event has reignited those thoughts with LIV Golf Las Vegas also on the horizon.
It appears to be just a theory, though, with Hovland having recently told Discovery's Fore podcast that he is not interested in switching tours - despite claiming that the PGA Tour hierarchy had done "such a bad job" in recent months.
Those comments arrived weeks before the PGA Tour completed a $3 billion deal with Strategic Sports Group which will allow golfers to access millions of dollars worth of equity stakes in PGA Tour Enterprises.
