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2021 Open Championship: Top 10 power rankings at Royal St. George’s

By Mike Randleman

CARNOUSTIE, SCOTLAND - JULY 19: Detail View of Claret Jug Open signage during the first round of the 147th Open Championship at Carnoustie Golf Club on July 19, 2018 in Carnoustie, Scotland. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)
CARNOUSTIE, SCOTLAND - JULY 19: Detail View of Claret Jug Open signage during the first round of the 147th Open Championship at Carnoustie Golf Club on July 19, 2018 in Carnoustie, Scotland. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images) /
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Jun 17, 2021; San Diego, California, USA; Viktor Hovland plays his shot from the sixth tee during the first round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at Torrey Pines Golf Course. Mandatory Credit: Michael Madrid-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 17, 2021; San Diego, California, USA; Viktor Hovland plays his shot from the sixth tee during the first round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at Torrey Pines Golf Course. Mandatory Credit: Michael Madrid-USA TODAY Sports /

Viktor Hovland would love nothing more than to win his first major on his home continent.

Norway’s top talent should come to Royal St. George’s with plenty of confidence despite this being his debut both at this course and the Open Championship.

Hovland couldn’t quite get qualified in time early in his rookie year as a pro in 2019. Then 2020 was canceled.

The 23-year-old comes to Sandwich off of a win three weeks ago in Germany at the BMW International Open. Three opening rounds in the 60s set the table for a final round 70 that held off by two a 64 by hometown hero Martin Kaymer.

That was Hovland’s first European Tour victory to go with a pair of wins in 2020 on the PGA Tour at the Puerto Rico Open and Mayakoba Golf Classic.

The former Oklahoma State Cowboy began 2021 with four straight top-sixes and has only missed two cuts all year. Technically, one missed cut, but he was not going to make the weekend when sand in his eye forced him to withdraw from the U.S. Open.

Hovland added consecutive T-3rds this spring at the Valspar Championship and Wells Fargo Championship.

The MC at Torrey Pines snapped a streak of six made cuts in the majors to open his career. He finished between T-12th and T-33rd in each. It’s time for Hovland to make the leap and get into the heat of the battle Sunday.

If he can avoid from having to rely too much on the short game, there’s no reason why he can’t strike it and putt it well to win.

He’s ninth on the PGA Tour in strokes gained tee to green (1.355) and total SG (1.52). Hovland is never out of a tournament with how low he can go. He’s second in birdie average (4.41).

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