Viktor Hovland boots golf bag in frustration after errant shot at FedEx St Jude

Viktor Hovland’s frustrations boiled over during the third round of the FedEx St Jude Championship after the Norwegian kicked his PING golf bag following an errant tee shot at TPC Southwind.

Hovland found the rough with his drive on the par-4 15th and appeared visibly unhappy with the outcome before taking his frustration out on his golf bag.

It proved to be an expensive hole, too, as Hovland went on to make a bogey-five. The dropped shot formed part of a frustrating round for the 28-year-old, who carded a lacklustre 2-over 72 to slip back into the chasing pack at 6-under par and seven shots behind leader Scottie Scheffler. 

Watch Hovland’s strop here.

It was a strike that might even have made his Norwegian compatriot Erling Haaland proud — although Hovland would have been hoping for a rather different kind of target.

Hovland had started the weekend in contention but struggled to build momentum on Saturday, leaving himself out of contention for a second win this season. 

There is, however, little danger of his season ending prematurely. 

Hovland began the week 23rd in the PGA Tour's FedEx Cup standings and is projected to remain around that number following the final round at TPC Southwind.

The European Ryder Cup hero is therefore safely through to next week’s BMW Championship at Bellerive Country Club in Missouri, and also likely assured of a place at the 30-man Tour Championship the following week at East Lake. 

Hovland has good memories of East Lake having won the FedEx Cup in 2023. 

The Norwegian captured his eighth PGA Tour title at the Travelers Championship at the end of June when defeating Scheffler in a playoff.

Hovland, ranked 14th in the world right now, endured a major campaign to forget this season. 

After finishing tied 18th at The Masters, Hovland missed three consecutive cuts at the PGA Championship, U.S. Open and The Open.