The Open Championship contender Viktor Hovland is one of golf’s biggest earners, but he has no interest in extravagant purchases and instead spends his money on more modest items
Viktor Hovland had a laugh as he discussed his most extravagant purchases(Image: R&A via Getty Images)
Viktor Hovland has opened up about his humble spending habits despite his staggering career earnings.
Although he hasn’t clinched a major yet, something he aims to change at The Open Championship this week, world No. 11 Hovland has still raked in a substantial $35,674,298 on the PGA Tour since turning professional in 2019, landing him at 47th on their all-time money list.
Despite the potential for extravagance with such earnings, the down-to-earth Norwegian isn’t one for lavish spending. His modesty was on full display during The R&A’s Caddie Conversations at Royal Portrush, where he drew laughter from the audience as he discussed some of his most significant purchases.
When asked about his first big buy after a win, Hovland shared (via the Mirror): “I haven’t spent that much money on just fun things. Like a couple of weeks ago, for example, I was on a boys’ trip in Marbella, so I can try to spend money on things that are fun, like activities.
“But in terms of things, there’s not that many things to buy. I bought a nice grill to grill some steak. And I bought a Ninja blender, it cuts it up pretty nicely. So just things like that.”
While several of his counterparts have defected to LIV Golf for the lucrative Saudi-backed payouts, Hovland remains unswayed by wealth. Following his FedEx Cup victory in 2023, which netted him an eye-watering $18 million on top of his PGA Tour earnings, he maintained that he’d be content with just enough money to live comfortably.
The 2023 FedEx Cup earned Hovland a staggering $18M(Image: Getty Images)
“Obviously, it’s a lot of cash you’re playing for. I mean, it’s in the back of your mind,” he confessed. “But I live in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Money goes long ways there. It’s not like I’m spending money out the wazoo every week.
“I don’t need a lot to be happy. I don’t need a lot to live within my means. So obviously it’s nice for my family to have that protection and my, you know, eventual kids, that I’ll have in the future.
“It’s nice to have that, but it’s not something that drives me, it’s not something that gives me meaning. I find meaning in other places. But obviously with how society works, money is something you need.”
His opening round at The Open Championship proved frustrating(Image: Getty Images)
Hovland’s complete career prize money is estimated to be in excess of $60M, and claiming The Open would net him an additional $3.1M. However, what matters most to him would be lifting that burden by finally capturing his first major championship.
He’s achieved top 10 results in all four of golf’s premier events, coming nearest to triumph at the 2023 PGA Championship when he ended two strokes behind champion Brooks Koepka in a tie for second with Scottie Scheffler.
He snapped an 18-month victory drought at the Valspar Championship in March. Yet he found himself trailing on the leaderboard at Portrush following an opening round of two over par, despite managing an eagle at the second.