Hovland recalled Tuesday how the late Arnold Palmer’s longtime assistant, Doc Giffin, gave him a behind-the-scenes look at Bay Hill Club and Lodge, site of Hovland’s latest stop this week on the PGA Tour.
“He kind of gave me a little tour of some of the history around the place and kind of what he used to do,” Hovland said. “That was very interesting to learn something about. It’s been two years now, so it’s not all in my memory, but I remember that experience was pretty cool.”
Growing up in Norway, Hovland knew little of Palmer until he was a freshman at Oklahoma State invited to play for the European side during the 2017 Palmer Cup, a showcase event for top college golfers.