2022 Players Championship: Top 10 power rankings at TPC Sawgrass
Viktor Hovland was among the host of names who were in the mix to win last week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational.
He held at least a share of the lead at various times throughout the weekend, but a tough break that velcroed his ball onto the fringe when pin-seeking on the par-4 18th hole at Bay Hill kept him from having a great shot at the necessary birdie to force a playoff with eventual champ, Scottie Scheffler.
Hovland’s scores of 69-66-75-74 held up well at a U.S. Open-like setup, but he just didn’t have enough firepower down the stretch.
“It was tough,” Hovland was transcribed by ASAP Sports. “I hit the ball beautifully at the start, just couldn’t make any putts to get the momentum going.”
The former Oklahoma State Cowboy was in the top 30 in the field in all of the main strokes gained categories, but he lost 2.021 strokes putting on Sunday. He was third in SG off the tee (4.705) and fifth in SG tee to green (10.098).
Hovland’s up to a career-high third in the Official World Golf Rankings and has four top-fives in his last five starts worldwide.
That includes a win at the DP World Tour’s Slync.io Dubai Desert Classic and T-4th at the Genesis Invitational.
He’s already a winner on the PGA Tour this season, too, when he repeated as Worldwide Technology Championship at Mayakoba victor. If that’s not enough, Hovland also owns an unofficial PGA Tour win at the Hero World Challenge.
It’s all looking up for the 24-year-old, even if his brief history at the Players Championship isn’t anything to write home about.
In his only start at TPC Sawgrass, Hovland posted 72-74 to miss the cut by two in 2021.
The Norwegian was in good shape in 2020 before the event was canceled after one round. He sank a 68-footer for eagle on the par-5 11th en route to an opening 68 to sit T-7th.
This season on the PGA Tour, Hovland ranks 10th in SG off the tee (.629) and ninth in SG approach (.793).
He’s also seventh in par-5 scoring (4.4).