Viktor Hovland pulled off a stunning comeback at the 2025 Valspar Championship, edging out Justin Thomas by one stroke to claim his first win since the 2023 Tour Championship. The two players were tied at nine under par through 11 holes before Hovland’s late surge.
Hovland’s iron play was strong all week, finishing seventh in greens in regulation and sixth in strokes gained/approach the green with his Ping i210 irons. On the greens, he used a prototype Ping PLD DS72 putter to average 86 feet of putts made per round, ranking eighth overall.
Hovland’s strategy on the Innisbrook course paid off, as he focused on precision iron shots and birdie opportunities rather than relying on long drives. “It’s golf, it’s a crazy game,” he said after the third round. “I feel like I can hit some nice iron shots that end up close to the hole.”
The decisive moment came at the 16th hole, where Hovland sank a 5-iron shot to just 12 feet and holed the putt for a birdie, while Thomas bogeyed the same hole. This two-shot swing gave Hovland the lead and ultimately sealed his victory.
Hovland’s equipment of choice included the Titleist Pro V1 ball, Ping G425 LST driver, TaylorMade SIM 3-wood, and Ping i210 irons. He used a variety of clubs throughout the tournament to achieve his impressive performance.
Source: https://www.golfdigest.com/story/the-clubs-viktor-hovland-used-to-win-the-2025-Valspar-championship