Everyone talks about natural talent in golf. But what if access and exposure matter just as much? The conversation rarely shifts to who got to see the best players practice, compete, or even think about the game from a young age. That invisible advantage shapes careers more than most realize.

Viktor Hovland recently sat down on the Flag Hunters Podcast and got brutally honest about this exact issue. The Norwegian star opened up about the developmental gap between his journey and the path available to American players, such as Scottie Scheffler.

Hovland didn’t mince words about his upbringing in Norway. He started playing golf at the age of 11 after his father, Harald, took up the sport while working as an engineer in St. Louis. That late start already put him years behind American counterparts who began as toddlers. But the timing wasn’t even the biggest hurdle. Norway’s golf infrastructure couldn’t compete with what existed in the United States. The Norwegian Golf Federation has acknowledged these gaps, admitting that participation numbers remain low and the environment doesn’t match the level found at elite American clubs.

Hovland explained the contrast perfectly on the podcast: “It’s not like you’re, you know, if you’re, maybe you grew up in the States and you’re a member at TPC Sawgrass or whatever. I’m just mentioning random clubs where there’s a bunch of tour players. You get to kind of see what the best players are doing. But we have no reference or no context growing up in Norway.“

Compare that to Scottie Scheffler’s development. His family borrowed $50,000 to join the Royal Oaks Country Club in Dallas when he was seven. That membership gave him daily access to Randy Smith, a Texas Golf Hall of Fame coach who has guided him since childhood. Even more importantly, Scheffler regularly competed with tour professionals like Justin Leonard, Ryan Palmer, Colt Knost, and Harrison Frazar in short-game contests.

The Dallas-Fort Worth area has become a powerhouse for producing elite golfers. Scheffler dominated Northern Texas PGA junior events with 90 wins out of 136 tournaments. Jordan Spieth followed a similar path through the same junior system, and both battled against Will Zalatoris in competitive junior tournaments. Both Scheffler and Spieth attended Highland Park High School and the University of Texas before dominating professional golf.

Justin Thomas represents perhaps the ultimate insider advantage. His father, Mike Thomas, worked as a PGA professional and club owner for decades. From the age of two, Thomas hit balls daily at the club, with constant access to his father’s coaching, equipment, and industry connections. That multi-generational professional golf lineage created opportunities no amount of money could buy.

Hovland felt the weight of this disadvantage early in his career. He admitted thinking he had to “play so far above my level to even have a chance” during his first PGA Tour starts. His initial appearances at the Farmers Insurance Open and Arnold Palmer Invitational both ended in missed cuts. Then something clicked.

At the 2019 Masters, Hovland finished tied for 32nd at three-under par as the low amateur. Nothing felt extraordinary about his play, yet the result validated his belonging. At Bay Hill that same year, he tied for 40th at one-under par (74-70-73-70) as the only amateur to make the cut.

“That’s when I kind of just kind of light bulb click for me to where, OK, yeah, if you want to win, you got to play amazing. But, you know, week in, week out, just having a game that’s very consistent, not being scared of the guys you’re competing against.“

The realization transformed his mindset. He stopped viewing tour players as unreachable and started seeing himself as their equal.

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Oklahoma State bridged Viktor Hovland’s developmental gap

The turning point came when Hovland arrived at Oklahoma State University. Suddenly, he had what Norway could never provide: proximity to elite players and championship-level facilities.

Oklahoma State’s golf program has produced major champions, including Bob Tway, as well as tour winners Rickie Fowler, Hunter Mahan, and Charles Howell III. The program offers daily access to Karsten Creek Golf Club, a course designed specifically for OSU golf teams and recognized as the number-one collegiate course in America.

Hovland thrived in this environment. He won four individual collegiate events and earned 2019 Big 12 Player of the Year honors. More significantly, he won the 2018 U.S. Amateur at Pebble Beach, becoming the first Norwegian to claim that championship.

“The big step for me was coming to Oklahoma State, being around other good players, getting to spend some time with alumni from Oklahoma State that would come back and play with us some.”

His amateur success extended beyond college. At the 2019 Masters, he became only the third European to win the Silver Cup as a low amateur. At the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, he broke Jack Nicklaus‘s 59-year-old record for lowest 72-hole amateur score.

Today, Scheffler sits at World No. 1 with 128 consecutive weeks at the top. He won seven official PGA Tour events in 2024, plus Olympic gold. His 2025 season added major victories at the PGA Championship and Open Championship. His career earnings approach $88 million.

Hovland currently ranks 11th in the world. He won the Valspar Championship in March 2025 after struggling with missed cuts earlier in the season. His 2023 Tour Championship victory and FedEx Cup title proved he belongs among golf’s elite. Hovland’s journey highlights how developmental advantages shape professional outcomes, proving that talent alone doesn’t guarantee equal opportunities in golf’s competitive landscape.