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Who Is Viktor Hovland’s Caddie? Meet the Veteran Bagman Who Didn’t Think Twice to Work With the Norwegian

Published 05/20/2023, 8:11 PM EDT

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The 2023 PGA Championship is heading to its final 18 holes on Sunday. But a day before the crowning of a golfer with the Wanamaker Trophy, Viktor Hovland has been having one of the best Majors of his career. With the Norweigan golfer being hours away from what could be his maiden Major triumph, who’s the caddie behind Hovland’s recent success?

Four years after turning pro in 2019, Viktor has been getting closer to a major win. While he finished T-7 at the Masters last month, the 25-year-old is only tied with fellow PGA Championship leader Cole Conners.

Though the golfer’s recent rise is truly admirable, his long-time caddie also deserves appreciation for his assistance. Let’s take a look at who’s been carrying the bag for the World No. 11 golfer.

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Who’s the caddie for Viktor Hovland?

During the early days of his professional life in 2019, Hovland was looking for a caddie. Though his Oklahoma State College coach carried the bag for him, the Norwegian golfer was seeking a permanent caddie. He then met Australian bagman Shay Knight at the Mayakoba Golf Course in Mexico.

via Imago

Unlike a rookie like Hovland in 2019, Knight was a 15-year-old veteran on the professional circuit who had previously caddied for golfers such as Matt Jones, Aron Price, and Martin Laird, to name a few. Following their meeting in Mexico, Shay and the Norwegian then transitioned their formal meeting into a professional relationship through Rickie Fowler’s caddie, Joe Skovron.

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Read More: Despite Suffering Ugly and Outrageous Comments at the PGA Championship, Viktor Hovland Buries the Hate With a Brutal Response

According to Knight, Skovron called him and asked if he wished to caddie for then-amateur golfer Viktor Hovland. The Australian caddie was aware that Viktor would soon be turning pro that year and claimed to not think twice about caddying for him. Once the Norwegian golfer became part of the professional circuit, Shay began his journey with Hovland at the 2019 Travelers Championship.

Since then, Knight has been by the golfer’s side during the latter’s seven professional wins. While the bagman isn’t carrying the golf bag for the 25-year-old golfer, he loves to spend time with his family. Having been born around the oceans of Sydney, Shay Knight is fond of beaches.

Nonetheless, as Viktor Hovland edges closer to his maiden major triumph, Shay could also earn some limelight for himself. However, the caddie was already the center of attention last month when he decided to ignore 15-time major winner Tiger Woods while peeing.

Did Knight pee at Augusta National?

Though the venue of the Masters is one of the grandest stages in all of sports, the Australian caddie couldn’t contain himself when he had a nature call. Viktor Hovland was paired with Tiger Woods for the first two rounds, but the cold breeze in Georgia got the better of the caddie.

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During the second round, Woods was seen on camera walking around the 13th hole. However, along the bushes of Azalea, cameras spotted Shay Knight peeing. The video went instantly viral. Though the Australian caddie may have gained infamous popularity, he could soon be applauded for assisting Hovland in winning his maiden major.

But still, with another day left to claim the Wanamaker Trophy, Viktor would try his best not to mess up any of the holes. And with Knight by his side, it is quite apparent that the Norweigan golfer won’t have to worry much in terms of getting a piece of good advice from his bagman.

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What are your thoughts on Shay Knight? Let us know in the comment section below.

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Written by:

Abdul Bari Khan

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Abdul Bari is a seasoned golf writer at EssentiallySports with an impressive portfolio of over 700 articles. Abdul has ‘putted’ his way into the EssentiallySports Hall of Fame with his in-depth coverage of the sport. One of Abdul's career highlights at ES was his article on Phil Mickelson's potential penalty, which received widespread praise from golf enthusiasts worldwide.
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Edited by:

Sheldon Pereira

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