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2020 WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational: Top 10 power rankings

By Mike Randleman

MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE - JULY 27: General view of the 18th hole during the third round of the World Golf Championship-FedEx St Jude Invitational at TPC Southwind on July 27, 2019 in Memphis, Tennessee. (Photo by Matt Sullivan/Getty Images)
MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE - JULY 27: General view of the 18th hole during the third round of the World Golf Championship-FedEx St Jude Invitational at TPC Southwind on July 27, 2019 in Memphis, Tennessee. (Photo by Matt Sullivan/Getty Images) /
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DUBLIN, OHIO – JULY 18: Viktor Hovland of Norway talks with his caddie on the ninth hole during the third round of The Memorial Tournament on July 18, 2020 at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
DUBLIN, OHIO – JULY 18: Viktor Hovland of Norway talks with his caddie on the ninth hole during the third round of The Memorial Tournament on July 18, 2020 at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /

With a driver or iron in hand, Viktor Hovland is robotic. He ranks 12th in strokes gained tee to green (1.197) and blends distance with accuracy as well as anyone. By my made up metric, he’s right near the top of the Tour in Good Birdie Looks.

This elite level of ball striking has allowed the Norwegian to pile up recent finishes of T-23rd, T-21st, T-11th, T-12th and 3rd. He hasn’t missed a cut since golf’s resumption in June with a T-48th at the Memorial his “worst” result of the bunch.

Hovland won earlier this year at the Puerto Rico Open and was in the final group at the Workday Charity Open. He’s missed the cut just four times since turning pro last summer. All four came between Nov. 2019 and March 2020.

Consistency like that used to come almost exclusively from players in their thirties.

The former U.S. Amateur champion is not only making his debut at TPC Southwind/the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational, but he’s playing in his first ever WGC.

I don’t think that will daunt a player who’s already proven himself at the highest levels of amateuer and pro golf. Hovland’s teed it up twice in majors, taking T-12th and T-32nd against elite fields.

The 22-year-old is a player to watch when he makes his PGA Championship debut next week. A win in Memphis will only ramp up the excitement in Norway as he tries to become the first to bring a major championship home for his country.

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