2021 Farmers Insurance Open: Top 10 power rankings at Torrey Pines
Viktor Hovland was in the Middle East playing on the European Tour this time last year, but he’s opted to return to the PGA Tour for this stretch of the calendar.
While at Oklahoma State, Hovland earned a sponsor’s invitation to play the 2019 Farmers Insurance Open. He missed the cut in what was his second career PGA Tour start. The 2018 Mayakoba Golf Classic was his first.
He clearly took a lot away from testing himself on a major championship layout. Hovland proceeded to make his next 12 cuts worldwide as he transformed from an amateur to pro. Two of those makes came in majors and inside the top 32, to boot.
Fast forward to today and Hovland’s a two-time winner at the 2020 Puerto Rico Open and 2020 Mayakoba. The Norwegian appears to be a lock to debut for the European Ryder Cup team this fall at Whistling Straits.
The 23 year old’s teed it up twice since his December win in Mexico. Hovland rounded out 2020 with T-3rd at the European Tour’s DP World Tour Championship followed by T-31st at the PGA Tour’s Tournament of Champions.
Hovland’s finished top 15 in six of his last eight starts.
Season stats for 2020-21 are beginning to get enough data at this point to offer up a view of how a player’s looking. In 20 rounds, Hovland ranks seventh on the PGA Tour in strokes gained off the tee (.756). Driving the ball well here is crucial. A young, athletic player like him can muscle it out of the rough if he needs to and you know he’s used to chilly conditions growing up in Scandinavia.