Travelers Championship: Norway World Cup Fans Hit PGA Tour Event

Norway football fans following the World Cup cheer on Viktor Hovland and Kristoffer Reitan at the Travelers Championship — (Image credit: Getty Images)

There was a Norwegian invasion at the Travelers Championship as fans heading to the World Cup stopped in to cheer on Viktor Hovland and Kristoffer Reitan - and it worked a treat!

Norway supporters have made a big impact on the World Cup with their 'Viking Row' celebration - and the team has done pretty well too with two wins from two and Erling Haaland banging in the goals.

Hovland and Reitan watched Norway beat Senegal in New York on Tuesday before making the short trip to Connecticut - and so too did plenty of Norwegian fans, on their way to Boston for their next game against France on Friday.

We've seen the likes of Scotland fans taking in some baseball during the World Cup, and now Norwegian fans stormed TPC River Highlands to back both Reitan and Hovland - even treating them to the Viking Row a few times.

And it worked - as Hovland shot 65 and Reitan one better with a 64 in the opening round on Thursday.

Each one was treated to some huge roars with every birdie, while both Hovland and Reitan had the Viking Row celebration after finishing their rounds.

"I think the games and the golf events setup quite nicely, so they can make a pit stop here for the interested fans or the golf-interested fans," said Reitan.

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"So it sets up quite nicely for that. And it's cool for them to make a pit stop here and for me to experience a miniature version of what the football players get to experience."

Both men mingled with the Norway fans after their rounds and posed for pictures, with World Cup fever finally finding a way into golf after appearing in a number of other sports across America.

Reitan and Hovland were obviously boosted by watching their country win against Senegal to ensure a last 32 spot in Norway's first World Cup appearance since 1998.

"It was unbelievable," said Reitan. "For me, I haven't seen Norway in the World Cup for my whole life, so it was awesome.

"The crowds are amazing, the team was performing excellent. Yeah, it was an experience I'll remember for the rest of my life."

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Paul Higham is a sports journalist with over 20 years of experience in covering most major sporting events for both Sky Sports and BBC Sport. He is currently freelance and covers the golf majors on the BBC Sport website. Highlights over the years include covering that epic Monday finish in the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor and watching Rory McIlroy produce one of the most dominant Major wins at the 2011 US Open at Congressional. He also writes betting previews and still feels strangely proud of backing Danny Willett when he won the Masters in 2016 - Willett also praised his putting stroke during a media event before the Open at Hoylake. Favourite interviews he's conducted have been with McIlroy, Paul McGinley, Thomas Bjorn, Rickie Fowler and the enigma that is Victor Dubuisson. A big fan of watching any golf from any tour, sadly he spends more time writing about golf than playing these days with two young children, and as a big fair weather golfer claims playing in shorts is worth at least five shots. Being from Liverpool he loves the likes of Hoylake, Birkdale and the stretch of tracks along England's Golf Coast, but would say his favourite courses played are Kingsbarns and Portrush.