Victor Hovland Reflects on Ryder Cup Disappointment After Neck Injury Sidelines Him

Viktor Hovland has revealed that it was “pretty upsetting” that he didn’t get to play at the Ryder Cup after sustaining a neck injury that forced him to withdraw from the tournament. The Norwegian also admitted that he felt “really bad” for Harris English, who was also unable to play because of his injury.

Hovland Says Neck Injury Was ‘Pretty Upsetting’

Hovland had to withdraw from the Travelers Championship in June after two holes of his final round due to a similar issue. The 28-year-old had been struggling with a neck problem leading into the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black but had hoped to manage the pain well enough to compete. Hovland took painkillers and received treatment in the morning, but it didn’t help much.

The injury forced him to sit out the Saturday afternoon four-ball session and later his Sunday singles match as well. Europe went on to win the 2025 Ryder Cup by a narrow margin of 15–13, securing another famous victory on American soil. While Hovland celebrated his teammates’ victory, he openly expressed his disappointment at missing the competition.

“You know, the whole situation was pretty upsetting, just the fact that I didn’t get to play. And I felt really bad for Harris who also didn’t get to play a match even though there was nothing wrong with him. He just didn’t get to play and he was upset about that. I feel very bad for not being able to compete. It’s tough, yeah, it’s hard.”

‘Envelope Rule’ In Spirit and History of Ryder Cup

Hovland’s withdrawal led to the Ryder Cup’s “Envelope Rule” coming into effect. Before play begins, both team captains must name one player who would sit out if an opponent is unable to play on Sunday. Because Hovland withdrew, officials also ruled his American opponent, Harris English, out of the session and automatically halved their match.

This led to some debate about the fairness of the Envelope Rule. Some critics argued that the rule was outdated and insisted that English should face a substitute instead of forfeiting the match. But Hovland defended the rule, saying that it is in the spirit and history of the Ryder Cup.

“…I think in the spirit of the Ryder Cup, the spirit of the game and the history of it, knowing that this Ryder Cup is just a part of many many Ryder Cups to come. It’s more of a gentleman’s agreement that you were hurt this time and maybe the next time there’s a guy in the US Team and we’re all kind of sympathetic about the person being hurt and not being able to play… I don’t think people are using that to really finagle the system and trying to squeak by.”

Doctors diagnosed Hovland’s neck injury as a flare-up of a disc bulge — a condition he had managed before but didn’t expect to worsen during such an important week. After the Ryder Cup, Hovland took a short break to recover, spending time resting and focusing on rehab.