With the Ryder Cup underway, players on the US and European teams are playing as hard as they can to bring home the glory. For the first round, Luke Donald’s team was doing very well. They are currently in the lead despite a setback Rory McIlroy experienced after spectators made a ruckus, and they were heading into round two with their heads held up high. Unfortunately, Viktor Hovland had a setback that he was trying to tough out for the Ryder Cup, and now it looks like he might have to be sidelined for the rest of the tournament.
Viktor Hovland’s Neck Injury
This is an injury that Hovland has been nursing for a couple of months now. It was the reason why he had to withdraw from the Travelers Championship. Since then, Hovland has been treating it, hoping the pain remains at bay. Hovland told reporters:
“I’ve had some issues with a neck injury on and off for the last two months,” Hovland said Saturday. “I took some painkillers on the seventh hole and then got some treatment from Matt Roberts, the physio, on the 10th tee box. It stayed the same for the remainder of the match after that. But I came in and rested up and got some more treatment, and when I went back out onto the range, I tried hitting some shots trying to build up to the driver. I hit three or four hard ones, and it just got worse. I didn’t want to risk it for the match in case it got worse and I couldn’t continue, especially in Four-ball when you are hitting every shot.”
As he stated, Hovland felt the pain crop up again after the first day. With that flare-up, he couldn’t play for the rest of the second round.
Ryder Cup Plans
With Viktor Hovland treating his neck, the next question is what will happen for the singles. Luckily, the Ryder Cup has plans for just this. It will end in a tie between Hovland and an American player. It is called the envelope rule; the opposing team captain has a sealed envelope containing the name of who he sees as the weakest team member. The points for the match in question are halved, putting both teams on an even playing field for the match. It was implemented in 1979 and was last used in 1993. It’s an important rule, but one that rarely sees the light of day. However, it will only be used if Hovland can’t make it to Sunday for the singles.
Victor Hovland And The Ryder Cup
Currently, Hovland is resting and hoping his neck pain fades by Sunday. As for the envelope rule, whoever’s name is inside that envelope is hoping and praying that it is not revealed. Because of its nature, that rule is a real blow to the ego. Until then, the Ryder Cup will continue as planned. At the time of writing, the Euro team holds the lead, and there is still much to do until the tournament concludes.
Main Photo Credit: © Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images
