“I don't think people are using that to really finagle the system and try and squeak by” — Viktor Hovland defends Ryder Cup “envelope rule”

        <p> Viktor Hovland of Team Europe hits his shot from a bunker on the 18th hole during the 2025 Ryder Cup on the Black Course at Bethpage State Park on Friday, September 26, 2025 in Farmingdale, New York. (Photo by Michael Reaves/PGA of America)</p>

Viktor Hovland has spoken out about the neck injury that forced him to sit out the Ryder Cup singles and insisted that the “envelope rule” is not used to “finagle the system”.

Speaking ahead of the DP World India Championship in Delhi, the Norwegian revealed that after taking 10 days off after Bethpage Black and then playing two rounds in a row, his neck “felt okay, so I decided to fly over here and give it a chance.”

Tight and treelined Delhi Golf Club will require few drivers, which means Hovland won’t have to put his neck under pressure.

But when asked about being unable to play on Sunday at the Ryder Cup, when his singles with Harris English was declared a half and US skipper Keegan Bradley later called for the rule to be changed, he insisted there was no ill intent by Europe.

“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,” Hovland revealed.  “He just didn't get to play, and he was upset about that, and I feel very bad for not being able to compete.

“It's tough. I think we're so used to in sports that if you can't play because you're hurt, obviously that should be a loss of point. But I think in the spirit of the Ryder Cup and 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, I think it's more of a gentlemen's agreement that okay, you were hurt this time and maybe the next time there's a guy on the US's team and we're all kind of sympathetic about the person being hurt and not being able to play.”

Bradley was upset following his side’s 15-13 defeat that Hovland’s injury meant that the Norwegian’s singles match would be declared a half , leaving Europe needing just two points from the remaining 11 matches to retain the trophy and only 2.5 points to win.

This stems from an agreement whereby the captains, when lodging their singles line ups, are asked to provide a sealed envelope containing the name of one player who is regarded as having been paired with a player who, through illness, injury or other emergency reason, has to withdraw from the other side.

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        <p>Keegan Bradley of Team United States and his team sit down for an interview after the 2025 Ryder Cup on the Black Course at Bethpage State Park on Sunday, September 28, 2025 in Farmingdale, New York. (Photo by Darren Carroll/PGA of America)</p>

“I mean, the rule has to change,” Bradley said at Bethpage Black. “I think it's obvious to everybody in the sports world, in this room. Nothing against Viktor. But that rule needs to change by the next Ryder Cup.”

His opposite number, Luke Donald, did not agree.

“The US have used it before,” Donald said. “I think it happened in 1991 with Steve Pate. That was a tight Ryder Cup, too, 14.5 to 13.5. It happened in 1993; Sam Torrance couldn't play with an injured toe. The US won that one.

“We have contracts for a reason, a captains' agreement for a reason, for situations that occur.”
Hovland clearly does not believe that Europe was trying to gain an unfair advantage in New York.

“I think there's kind of a mutual understanding that if we were healthy we would all go out there and play,” he said. “I don't think people are using that to really finagle the system and try and squeak by.

“Also to the other point, if you do change the rule and you give away a point, now there's also the angle that okay, knowing that the other team is going to put out their best player most likely in the first few groups, they can just kind of put me out as a sacrificial lamb and take the L against their best player.  

“So there's other ways around it, and I think -- I don't think there's any ideal way to do it, but the most -- I think that's just a better way overall to do it, even though it's just a tough situation, and at the end of the day, I think we'd all be wanting to go out there and play.”

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