Viktor Hovland has a tour‑wide reputation as one of the friendliest, low‑key professionals. While many succumb to the pressures of professional golf, he is known for his smile and laid-back approach. However, that persona bent into something more combative when the focus shifted from golf to the Norway vs. England quarter-final match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Speaking ahead of the Scottish Open, the Norwegian professional openly embraced the banter and took a shot at the opposition.

“I’ve done some rowing. Every Norwegian has to do at least a few rows out there. No, it’s pretty cool. Ye. Ah, it’s a cool thing that is really taking over the Internet and gone viral,” Viktor Hovland said at the press conference when asked if he expects banter with English professionals ahead of the weekend. “Yeah, we’ll see. I feel like it’s a very sensitive subject for them, so it might cut a little too deep there if I push too hard. But yeah, I hope they lose and come crying out on Sunday morning.”

The 28-year-old arrived in Scotland after a dramatic victory at the 2026 Travelers Championship. After the tournament was suspended because of inclement weather, he beat World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler on Monday. Many Norwegians are in the U.S.A. to support their national team in the ongoing FIFA World Cup. They had come to TPC River Highlands and showed support for the Norwegian golfer through the Viking rowing celebration, which they brought from the FIFA World Cup stands to Connecticut.

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After a seven-foot birdie shot that sealed the victory, Hovland joined the supporters in a full rowing celebration.

“Obviously, it helps when you’ve got people like this cheering you on as well,” Hovland said after his win. “So, yeah, it was a blast.”

Fans were there to show him support because he had joined them at one of Norway’s matches. He, along with fellow Norwegian Kristoffer Reitan, was in attendance for his country’s second group stage match at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

“That was my first one there. It’s fun. You definitely get the adrenaline from it,” he said of the experience.

Norway is having a historic run at the FIFA World Cup. The team beat Brazil 2-1 to enter the quarter-finals, marking Brazil’s earliest exit from the tournament since 1990. Norway had last reached the quarterfinals in 1998. Now, it will face England in the quarterfinals.

Hovland would want to brag about Norway’s historic run and warn the English professionals playing alongside him. However, as he pointed out, this is a very sensitive topic for England. While there can be many reasons for this, one is that England’s World Cup campaigns carry heavy emotional baggage because of repeated near misses. Also, England is where modern football was born. But the country won the FIFA World Cup only once, in 1966.

But if the eight-time PGA Tour winner wants to take jabs, many could be his targets. For instance, Matt Fitzpatrick, Tommy Fleetwood, Tyrrell Hatton, Aaron Rai, and others are playing in the 2026 Scottish Open.

There is a sheer number of English and England‑leaning golfers sharing the Renaissance Club facilities. Thus, Viktor Hovland’s comment that it “might cut a little too deep” lands as a knowingly cheeky acknowledgment of how raw emotions might be by Sunday morning.