2022 WGC-Dell Match Play: Top 10 power rankings at Austin CC
Viktor Hovland has been an ATM this year. He won the DP World Tour’s Slync.io Dubai Desert Classic where he literally made a “cha-ching” noise in a lighthearted photo op with the winner’s check.
The Norwegian followed that with a run of three straight top-10s on the PGA Tour. That was snapped with a T-33rd finish his last time out at the Valspar Championship.
Hovland should benefit from having a year under his belt at Austin Country Club. Pete Dye courses aren’t always easy for young players to master, especially in a different format like this event presents.
Hovland sputtered to a 1-2-0 record last year as the top seed in his group. I don’t see that happening again.
Hovland may have trouble going 3-0-0 in Group 3, though, as No. 24 seed Will Zalatoris is right up there in young ball-striking talent with Hovland. Both have their issues on and around the greens.
Next is No. 45 Cameron Tringale, who hasn’t been healthy at times this season and has three missed cuts in his last five starts. Tringale is making his WGC-Dell Match Play debut.
One of the hottest players in the field is who I’ve got taking second place in the group, No. 63 Sepp Straka. He’s only in the field due to withdrawals, but a win last month at the Honda Classic and T-9th at the Players Championship has the Austrian looking good for his match play debut.
One of the best potential round of 16 matchups would pit Hovland against No. 14 Joaquin Niemann. I could see this going extra holes and it was tough to go againt Niemann, who just blitzed an elite field at the Genesis Invitational.
But Hovland’s a bit more consistent and used to more big moments.
If Hovland moves on, I see him running into 2019 WGC- Dell Match Play champion, Kevin Kisner. Hovland is more rested and younger than Kisner and will survive and advance past a gritty opponent.
In the semifinals, Hovland will run out of steam against a fellow Ryder Cup player on the opposite team, No. 5 Scottie Scheffler.
In the third-place match, I have Brian Harman taking on Hovland. If Hovland’s motivated, he could win by hole 14. At this point, the world ranking points and money will mean more to Harman, who will dig deep and snatch third place away on the 18th hole.