This is the title I chose for my personal blog, which is meant to give me an outlet for one of my favorite crafts – writing – plus to use an image from my favorite sport, golf.  Out of college, my first job was as a reporter for the Daily Astorian in Astoria, Oregon, and I went on from there to practice writing in all my professional positions, including as press secretary in Washington, D.C. for a Democrat Congressman from Oregon (Les AuCoin), as an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, as press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and as a private sector lobbyist.  This blog also allows me to link another favorite pastime – politics and the art of developing public policy – to what I write.  I could have called this blog “Middle Ground,” for that is what I long for in both politics and golf.  The middle ground is often where the best public policy decisions lie.  And it is where you want to be on a golf course.

Yes, there are two golfers that I know with heritage in Norway.

First, I know myself, or at least I think I do.

Second, I know Victor Hovland, who shot a 61 yesterday, one of the best golf rounds of the year, if not longer.

At a tough course, Olympia Fields in Illinois, he posted a 61 in the BMW Invitational, winning the tournament and advancing to the Tour Championship next week.

He also is on the European Ryder Cup Team.

Here is how GolfWeek described the round:

“As Rory McIlroy counted up Viktor Hovland’s scorecard after the final round of the BMW Championship, he realized that Hovland’s back nine included eight threes and a single four.

“’It adds up to a nice little 28 for him,’ McIlroy said marveling at Hovland’s brilliant performance.  ‘He just keeps his foot on the pedal.  Just isn’t scared. Just keeps going forward, keeps going at it.’

“The 25-year-old Norwegian kept his foot on the pedal and rode his way to a course-record 9-under 61 at Olympia Fields on Sunday and a two-stroke victory over world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and Englishman Matt Fitzpatrick. Hovland’s sizzling 61 to clinch his fifth PGA Tour title was the low round by a winner this season on the Tour and, also, the lowest final round in the history of the FedEx Cup Playoffs.

“When told that the CBS golf team declared it the best round of the year, Hovland exclaimed, ‘Wow!’ and added, ‘It definitely has to be the best round I’ve ever played given the circumstances, a playoff event and this golf course.’”

Just think of this back nine – eight three’s and one four.  That adds up to 28, and couple that with a 33 on the front, you get 61.

Has that other golfer with Norwegian heritage ever shot that kind of round?  Absolutely not.  Might have had a 61 after about 13 holes or so.

So, here is to the real golfer from Norway, Victor Hovland!