Career
He started his professional career for Football Club Groningen. Hovenkamp was forced to withdraw from the 1978 World Cup squad due to injury, but as the deadline for calling up replacement players had passed, the Netherlands were unable to replace him. He did play in the 1980 European Championships, and played his final international (a 1–0 loss to Spain) in a qualifier for the 1984 European Championship.
He obtained 31 caps, scoring 2 goals.