As the PGA Tour prepares to journey to Texas for the upcoming Texas Children’s Houston Open, the spotlight is currently on the Valspar Championship in Florida. Despite the absence of some of the Tour’s biggest names, golf enthusiasts have their eyes trained on Xander Schauffele and Viktor Hovland, both of whom are in a quest to reclaim their form.
Friday’s performance saw these golfing titans demonstrating exceptional prowess, especially Hovland, who skyrocketed up the leaderboard. The Norwegian golf professional scored a four-under 67 in the second round, bringing his overall score to five-under for the tournament. He now shares the third spot on the leaderboard while less than half of the field remains on the course.
Hovland’s recent performance is a beacon of hope, considering his game has witnessed a downward spiral since his victory at the 2023 Tour Championship. His 2024 season was one to be forgotten, and the trend extended into 2025. However, the six-time PGA Tour champion has been working closely with Grant Waite in an attempt to regain his form.
Hovland was full of praise for Waite following his round, acknowledging his coach’s intelligence and the new perspective he gained from their collaboration after a year of struggle. Hovland admitted that he wasn’t ready for the wealth of information Waite provided a year ago, but he’s now in a better position to utilize it.
Despite Hovland’s lackluster performance last season, including no wins and only two top-10 finishes in 16 PGA Tour events, he managed a solo third at the PGA Championship. This served as a reminder of his underlying talent.
However, Hovland is not getting carried away with his recent performance at the Valspar Championship. He believes that to sustain his current level, he needs to strike better and make his game more predictable.
The spotlight also shines on World No. 3, Xander Schauffele, who entered the Valspar Championship seeking to improve his form. Following a rib injury that sidelined him for nearly two months, the Californian has participated in two events, finishing 40th at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and 72nd at The PLAYERS.
Regardless of these results, Schauffele has managed to maintain his cut streak, which stands at 59 consecutive cuts – the longest since Tiger Woods in his heyday. However, he acknowledges room for improvement, especially in his weekend play.
With five holes remaining in his second round at the Valspar Championship, Schauffele, tied for seventh at four-under par, is demonstrating promising form. If he continues his current level of play, he could potentially secure his best finish of the season.
