Viktor Hovland Caddies In US Open Qualifying Day After $3.6m PGA Tour Win

After winning The Memorial Tournament following a hard-fought four days culminating in a playoff with Denny McCarthy, few would have begrudged Viktor Hovland some time off before next week’s US Open at Los Angeles Country Club.

Instead, Hovland is heavily involved in final qualifying for the third Major of the year, dubbed Golf’s Longest Day, as a caddie! The Norwegian is on the bag for his friend Zach Bauchou at a qualifier in Ohio, less than a day after claiming his fourth PGA Tour win at Muirfield Village.

According to the Golf Channel’s Todd Lewis, Bauchou sounded Hovland out about the possibility of him caddying for him over dinner last Tuesday night, which Hovland agreed to.

The pair used to be roommates at Oklahoma State University, so their friendship goes back some time. However, carrying the bag for the gruelling 36-hole marathon so soon after his mentally and physically exhausting win in the designated event is an impressive show of commitment. According to Lewis, he's not shirking any of his responsibilities, either. 

Bauchou, who mainly plies his trade on the Asian Tour, has yet to compete in a Major, but he will be hoping the influence of the new World No.5 gives him the inspiration to finally break that duck.

A video also shows Hovland offering encouragement to Bauchou as the pair make their way around the course, as well as the pair sharing in some lighthearted banter. 

As for Hovland, he is preparing for his fifth appearance in the US Open and will be looking to improve on his best finish in it to date, a tie for 12th in 2019. If his form in 2023 is anything to go by, there’s every chance he will. As well as his latest PGA Tour win, he finished T7 at The Masters and T2 at the PGA Championship.

Elsewhere, club pro Michael Block, who finished T15 at Oak Hill, is also competing in US Open final qualifying. Other notable names hoping to qualify include LIV Golf players Marc Leishman, Carlos Ortiz, Brendan Steele, Sebastian Munoz, Harold Varner III and Peter Uihlein. Ryder Cup captains Luke Donald and Zach Johnson compete too. One LIV Golf player who had been due to play is Matthew Wolff. However, he has withdrawn through injury.