2023 U.S. Open: Top 10 power rankings at Los Angeles Country Club

Designated events on the PGA Tour are about as close to getting an elite field as the majors.

Viktor Hovland winning one in his last start leading into the U.S. Open is a great sign. He outlasted plenty of big names en route to hoisting the trophy a couple weeks ago at the Memorial Tournament.

Four subpar rounds (71-71-69-70) at Muirfield Village is no small feat. It was the strongest win out of his four PGA Tour victories.

It continued a great run of form Hovland’s been on for a while now. It was the Norwegian’s 15th straight made cut worldwide in a stroke play event.

This was Hovland’s first official win of the 2022-23 PGA Tour season, though he did defend his title in December at the exhibition Hero World Challenge.

He owns three top-10s in his last six starts, including T-2nd at the PGA Championship.

Hovland impressed last month at Oak Hill. Unlike other close calls at majors where he crumbled on Sunday, he stood toe-to-toe with eventual champion Brooks Koepka for most of the day.

Hovland shot 70 that day in tough conditions and clearly emerged with confidence to propel him to his Memorial victory.

The former Oklahoma State Cowboy has made 12 of 14 cuts at the majors in his career. The bugaboo was he lacked a top-10 through his first 11 starts but now has three in a row.

He was in the final group on Sunday at the 2022 Open Championship (T-4th) and played well at the 2023 Masters (T-7th).

Hovland is an elite ball striker. He ranks seventh on the PGA Tour in strokes gained per round off-the-tee (.717) and is 11th tee-to-green (1.298).

It’s wild to say that sitting 135th (-.089) in SG around-the-green is an improvement, but Hovland is slowly getting better. He was 191st (-.651) in 2021-22.

His putting has diminished a bit this season, but Hovland had it going his last time out to rank third in the field in strokes gained.