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Viktor Hovland caddies for college teammate at US Open qualifying day after winning The Memorial

DSprofileby: Dustin Schutte06/05/23DLS1066206
viktor hovland
(Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)

We all deserve a friend as loyal as Viktor Hovland. Less than a full day after winning the Memorial Tournament in Dublin, Ohio, the PGA Tour star caddied for a college teammate during U.S. Open qualifying in Columbus.

Hovland stuck around the Columbus area to help out friend and former Oklahoma State teammate Zach Bauchou for Monday’s qualifying day. This comes less than 24 hours after cashing in a $3.6 million paycheck for winning Sunday’s tournament.

The qualifying tournament is a 36-hole event, meaning Hovland would’ve played or caddied for 109 holes (because the Memorial Tournament went into a playoff) in just five days.

Hovland and Bauchou played together on Oklahoma State’s 2018 team, which won an NCAA title. Bauchou has played in five events on the PGA Tour.

Because of the lengthy schedule on the PGA Tour, it’s not too often you’d see a member stick around for a qualifying round of the U.S. Open. It’s even harder to believe a player would caddy for an event.

That just shows Hovland’s loyalty as a friend and former teammate. It’s easily one of the coolest stories in golf right now.

Hovland claimed a Memorial Tournament victory by shooting -7 for the event, tied with Denny McCarthy atop the leaderboard to force a playoff. Hovland then defeated McCarthy on the first hole of the playoff, securing the win.

Viktor Hovland still chasing first major championship

While Bauchou attempts to qualify for the U.S. Open, Hovland is hoping to secure his first win in a major championship later this month. The 25-year-old has come close to winning one of the big wins, but still hasn’t done it just yet.

Hovland finished seventh in The Masters and second in the PGA Championship earlier this year — his best finishes in each of the respective tournaments. He also finished in a tie for fourth in last year’s Open Championship.

The U.S. Open has been the one tournament in which Hovland hasn’t finished inside the top-10. His best performance came in 2019, ending the tournament in 12th.

While The Masters is perceived as the most prestigious major championship, the U.S. Open is often the most challenging. So, if Hovland wins his first major in the event, it would be an impressive accomplishment.

This year’s U.S. Open runs from June 15-18 and will be played at the Los Angeles Country Club. Matt Fitzpatrick was the winner of last year’s tournament.