Norway’s biggest golf star had to answer a number of questions about the recent Saudi-funded LIV tour, but sports commentator NRK wasn’t impressed.

Hovland has admitted he has no interest in playing in the highly controversial golf league, but Jan Petter Saltvedt has missed the 24-year-old’s non-sporting excuses.

– It is deeply troubling that Hovland, as an essentially outstanding representative of a new generation of Norwegian sports stars and too many young people, should play tortoise and withdraw into its shell in the most open and inflamed conflict in international sport to date , said Saltvedt.

The sports commentator acknowledged that the golf session had said he would not report on the transition to LIV.

– However, it is possible if it must be suddenly maintained for sports reasons. Why doesn’t he give us a clear answer whether playing on the LIV tour is forever irrelevant or not?

Hovland totally disagrees with critics that he doesn’t take a clear enough position.

“I feel I’ve done it, then,” Hovland told NRK after a charity tournament in Stokke on Friday.

– Dit’s not like we’re good people

There are several profiles who have abandoned the traditional PGA Tour in favor of the sugar-rich Saudi league, which is seen as a highly controversial innovation. This country has a very bad reputation when it comes to human rights.

Hovland still believes that the media presents everything in black and white.

– I think you in the media make it very simple. I have no interest in playing for the people there. But it’s not the case that we are “good people” and the people there are “bad guys,” he said.

– In what ways is the media misunderstood?

– Without getting too deep into it, PGA does a lot of business in China – that’s obviously fine. Many of their sponsors invest a lot of money in Saudi Arabia, and that money goes to local players and communities in the United States. It’s a tough question, but it’s not as black-and-white as one might think. If you found pure money everywhere, that would be great, Hovland said.

He insists that he has no plans to leave the PGA Tour in favor of innovation.

– Actually I have no plans to play there (LIV), Hovland told NRK.

– But did you distance yourself from LIV?

– Yes, I did when I continued to play on the PGA Tour. I don’t have to write an essay about every decision I make. I have plans to play PGA in the future, easily and simply.

– Not the person I want to play with

Saltvedt believed that Hovland had a more important role than he claimed, and he should take on that role.

– He has played in Saudi Arabia before under the guise of not wanting to care about politics. Unfortunately, the world of sport in general is no longer like this – and golf especially, like it or not, shows NRK commentator.

When asked if Hovland was concerned that Saudi Arabia was controversial because of human rights abuses, he replied as follows:

– It’s not ideal. This is not the person I want to play with.

– If more and more competitors switch to LIV, do you almost have to go that route to play at the level you want?

– You should think a little, then. If all the best in the world played in the same league, and I would. I want to show myself as a golfer and play against the best in the world. Then there’s the possibility, but I believe and hope it doesn’t turn out that way.

Saltvedt was pleased to hear how Hovland responded to the criticism.

– Right now, I’m almost telling Hovland to come out of the closet about what he basically thinks about a Saudi sponsored tour. Hovland will be on the PGA, and will be a strong symbol in terms of the future of the sport of golf and which values ​​will predominate. It’s great to hear the Norwegian superstar so clear-cut, says sports commentator NRK.

He was particularly impressed that Hovland took what he described as a leadership role for how the sport of golf should develop.

– His remarks also put insignificant pressure on the PGA, which could not easily believe they would gain sympathy in this conflict without taking moral responsibility for their actions, Saltvedt concluded.