There’s always chatter about a golfer’s putting method, whether it’s their grip on the putter or the way they read the line. Every player has their own unique style. But what’s caught the golf world off guard is Norwegian star Viktor Hovland’s surprising revelation about his own approach. While most golfers rely on multiple techniques to analyse their putts, Hovland admits he uses his method as a way to mask his weaknesses on the greens.

The 2023 FedEx Cup champion currently finds himself on the qualification bubble for the TOUR Championship. Missing out would be a first for him—but at T4 after the opening round, that scenario seems unlikely. While his strong start has drawn praise, it’s his putting technique, revealed in a recent PING video, that’s truly turned heads. Filmed at Scotland’s Gullane Golf Club during a friendly match with Wayne ‘Radar’ Riley, the clip shows Riley asking him on the very first hole about his use of the AimPoint method.

Hovland said, “Yeah, I mean, it’s a pretty good just guesstimation, a system of how much a given putt breaks. So, you rely on the percentage slope that you can feel with your feet.” Along with him, there are many other professionals, including Adam Scott, Dustin Johnson, Justin Rose, and Keegan Bradley, who use the same technique. However, for the analysts, it is a controversial method to use. Earlier, Lucas Glover spoke about it, saying, “AimPoint, statistically, hasn’t helped anybody make more putts since its inception on the PGA Tour. Statistics have beared that out.” Even Jim Nantz for the same, “It really drives me crazy when you see their backs to the hole, and they’re trying to feel the break, and they walk another five feet and they do it again”. 

But for Hovland, it is the only way, as he made an honest revelation, he shared, “Now, I’m not very gifted in terms of looking with my eyes and seeing slopes. I’m basically a blind man. I just can’t see the break as well as other guys can.” The Norwegian is currently placed 116th on SG, putting with -0.103. But there is a reason why he is placed so far back. Talking about his blindness, he said that playing at different greens every week, the risk of optical illusion is at its peak. It is a common visual illusion that can lead to misaligned shots and missed putts for golfers. In fact, he says, “I frankly just don’t trust my eyes very much.” To be doubly sure of the aim, Hovland has marked his ball with a single line, and his PING Oslo Onset putter has a double line. Well, the aiming technique for the golfer has worked well.

Despite the shortcomings, the golfer has hinted at making the most of his performance. He has been amazing with his AimPoint technique for putting, ignoring the 2025 stats. This year, his performance has suffered majorly due to the changes in swing coach and equipment. He split from longtime coach Joe Mayo, experimented with Grant Waite and Dana Dahlquist, briefly reunited with Mayo, but ultimately settled on TJ Yeaton ahead of the 2025 season. Yeaton joined Hovland as a consultant, backstopping his swing while Hovland reclaimed his rhythm.

But soon after, Hovland reunited with Waite and felt a difference in his game, for the better. However, the Norwegian’s putting skills remain a class act.

Viktor Hovland’s exceptional putting record

The World No. 15 has recorded an unmatched performance at the playoff. Since he qualified for the first time in the 2019-20 schedule, his performance has observed a steep incline. Apart from the win at the playoffs in 2023, he also recorded great putting stats. Hovland recorded +0.236 strokes gained for putting and was ranked 54th on the Tour. Later in 2024, the performance improved as his average stood at +0.269, ranking him 44th on the Tour.

As per Stats Muse, Hovland has maintained a putting average of 1.7 since 2019-20. Even with the 2025 season, despite the struggle in performance, he has kept the average of 1.749. Now, with one of his favorite events, the performance has shown an incline. And it would not be a surprise if the stats improve, too. Even he shared the same after his “dumb mistake”. He said, “Yeah, the irons were pretty solid. I hit a lot of really nice iron shots, especially coming down the stretch. There are some pretty tough finishing holes out there—like 17 and 18. On 17, I hit a nice 5-iron and made the putt, and on 18, I was there with a 6-iron into a pretty narrow green with the pin all the way at the back.”

But with the blindness and trust issues with eyes, it is something that came out unexpectedly. Even with his performance, it was never pointed out by anyone. What is your reaction after the shocking revelation of Viktor Hovland? Please share with us in the comments below.