Ryder Cup: Viktor Hovland says injury withdrawal at Bethpage 'upsetting' as Harris English left unable to play
Europe's Viktor Hovland missed Ryder Cup singles with neck injury so USA's Harris English was withdrawn via 'envelope rule' for half-point each; watch Hovland, Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood play in DP World India Championship, live on Sky Sports from 7.30am on Thursday
Tuesday 14 October 2025 18:20, UK
Viktor Hovland admits the circumstances which led to him missing the final day of Europe's Ryder Cup victory at Bethpage Black, and US player Harris English being withdrawn due to the 'envelope rule', were "pretty upsetting."
A neck injury sustained during Saturday's foursomes in New York led to Hovland missing that afternoon's fourballs in New York and ultimately the Sunday singles, too.
Ryder Cup rules stipulate that the opposing team must nominate a player to sit out the singles in the event of an injury and the unfortunate golfer on this occasion was English, whose name had been put in an envelope by US captain Keegan Bradley.
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Hovland and English subsequently took a half-point each.
The Norwegian said ahead of his return to action at the DP World India Championship in Delhi from Thursday, live on Sky Sports: "The whole situation was pretty upsetting, just the fact that I didn't get to play and that I felt really bad for Harris.
"He didn't get to play, and he was upset about that, so I feel very bad for not being able to compete. It's tough."
'I don't think there's any ideal way to do it'
Speaking after USA's 15-13 defeat to Europe, Bradley said the 'envelope rule', which was first introduced in 1979 but has only been required three times, "must change".
In the Solheim Cup - the women's equivalent of the Ryder Cup - there is no such rule with the opposition awarded a full point if a player is unable to compete.
Hovland said on Tuesday: "I think it's a gentlemen's agreement that 'okay, you were hurt this time and maybe the next time it's a guy on the US team and we're all sympathetic about the person being hurt and not being able to play'.
"I think there's a mutual understanding that if we were healthy we would all go out and play. I don't think people are using that to finagle the system and try and squeak by.
"I don't think there's any ideal way to do it. I think that's just a better way overall to do it, even though it's a tough situation."
On his fitness ahead of this week's event in India, Hovland added: "I took about a week and a half off after the Ryder Cup and didn't really touch a club.
"I was running out of time to make a decision if I wanted to come. I played two 18-hole rounds back-to-back, and my neck felt okay, so I decided to give it a chance.
"One of the big things is you don't have to hit driver here, not very much at least. That helps my neck because it's the driver that gives me the biggest amount of pain."
Lowry: I have never felt pressure anywhere close to Ryder Cup putt
Shane Lowry speaking to Sky Sports about his crucial putt to retain the Ryder Cup:
"For me to be able to hole that putt at such a crucial moment is very, very special and something I'll have forever. And something I'll be able to dive back into my locker for at some stage when I need it.
"When things are maybe not going my way, or whenever I putt to win a tournament or something, hopefully I'll be able to use that down the line, because I'm not sure I'll ever feel pressure like that again.
"I've been in tough situations in my career, but nothing ever close to that. I honestly can't help but think back on what would have happened if I missed a putt. I would have felt like I let my team-mates down.
"You can let yourself down, no problem. You can deal with that. But you let your team-mates down, let those guys down who worked really hard for you that week and won all those points, it would have been very, very difficult for me.
"So thankfully I didn't. Thankfully I stood up to the plate. As soon as he [Russell Henley] missed his putt, I was in my routine. I do remember everything happening quite quickly, and I tried to slow myself down and tried to work on my breathing a little bit.
"Then when I stood over it, I was like: 'You have no choice but to hit it now'. I think the celebration was just pure relief. I didn't know what to do with myself.
"It's just the most special tournament in the world, honestly it is. I'm just so happy to be a part of it, in any way at all. Thankfully I played a decent part in it this year."
Fleetwood: Ryder Cup is playing for something much bigger than yourself
Tommy Fleetwood speaking to Sky Sports about Europe's stunning Ryder Cup victory in the USA:
"It was such a special week. I'm so lucky to have played a few Ryder Cups now, and I just feel like all of them bring their unique memories from each of those weeks, and this one was so special again.
"It was an amazing story for us that we had so many of us from Rome that came to this one, and just the connection that we all had, the team environment, and then being able to win an away Ryder Cup, how hard and how difficult it is, to be part of that team is something I'm very proud of.
"I really am so interested individually to try and tap into so much of the stuff that we do that one week every two years, and I think our team chemistry, the legacy of Team Europe, and how much that's drilled into us.
"The bond you have, the drive and the motivation to be playing for something much bigger than yourself, and it makes you want to be the absolute best version of yourself.
"Like I said, I've been so lucky to have played four now, and once you've played one, you never want to not play one.
"We all know that that time will come eventually where we're not on the golf course representing Europe, so the times that we do have it, we just have immense pride in carrying that legacy, which has been going for a long time and will go on for much longer."
Watch the DP World India Championship live on Sky Sports from Thursday to Sunday. Coverage of day one begins at 7.30am on Sky Sports Golf and Sky Sports Main Event. Stream the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, LPGA Tour and more golf contract-free with NOW.
