Reynolds grabbed Viktor Hovland at 35-1 (28-1 without Scheffler) and reminded listeners he cashed Hovland’s Memorial win two years ago. Hovland was 8th in strokes-gained approach and 5th in total driving at the PGA Championship, and Wes believes the thicker rough around Muirfield’s greens masks Hovland’s usual chipping weaknesses. Bent-grass complexes and penal fairway rough let Viktor lean on his elite ball-striking while eliminating the tight-lie chips that give him nightmares. The putter has quietly improved in recent starts, and Reynolds thinks anything near field average putting puts him firmly in Sunday contention again.

Farnsworth is fading Viktor Hovland because Muirfield’s tiny greens and gnarly rough magnify short-game weakness. Hovland’s chipping issues could lead to a bogey-avoidance nightmare, making him a poor fit despite elite ball-striking.

Jamie Worsley backed Viktor Hovland each-way at 33/1 for the 2025 Memorial, stressing that the defending 2023 champion is peaking again after an uneven spring. Worsley highlighted Hovland’s 8th-place season ranking in SG: Approach, including elite long-iron numbers (4th from 175-200 yds, 25th from 200+), plus a season-best 15th off-the-tee showing at the PGA Championship where he was also 36th in driving accuracy. Four of Hovland’s best five putting weeks of 2025 have come in his last five starts, suggesting the flat stick is warming up. Course history is sparkling—3rd in the 2020 Workday, never a missed cut at Muirfield Village, and last year’s playoff win. Correlated success at Bay Hill (2nd), Quail Hollow (3rd) and Valhalla (3rd PGA) reinforces the fit on demanding Nicklaus or Nicklaus-style layouts. Worsley concluded that a repeat victory is well within reach if the recent ball-striking spike holds.

Bill Rabinowitz called the 2023 winner Hovland a tempting sleeper at +2800. While his Valspar victory in March is his lone top-10 of an otherwise quiet year, Rabinowitz trusts the Norwegian’s comfort level at Muirfield Village and believes the complete tee-to-green skill set will resurface. With Scheffler shortening the top of the market, Rabinowitz likes the price gap on a proven course horse who already knows how to close here.

Bamford backed Viktor Hovland each-way at 25/1, highlighting the Norwegian’s comfort in the Midwest and at Muirfield Village specifically: win in 2023, 3rd at the 2020 Workday Charity Open and consistent made cuts here. Hovland ranks 8th on Tour in SG: Approach for 2025 and was 11th Off-the-Tee and 5th in Total Driving at the recent PGA Championship, where he contended through 54 holes. Bamford stresses that Hovland’s short-game improvements (31st SG: Around-the-Green at Quail Hollow) mitigate past weaknesses on the course’s shaved run-offs. Bentgrass-based fairways and greens mirror Olympia Fields, where Hovland won the 2023 BMW. With confidence building and statistical peaks in the ball-striking categories that correlate with every Memorial winner since the 2021 redesign, Bamford expects Hovland to threaten the podium again.

Pat Mayo said Viktor Hovland is the first mid-tier number he is actually excited to punch this week, calling 30–33-1 "a very fair price." Mayo pointed out that Hovland has not lost strokes on approach since the season-opening event and believes those iron gains give him the highest ceiling of any golfer outside the elite odds tier. He acknowledged Hovland’s usual short-game issues but noted Muirfield Village’s brutal greenside bunkers and thick rough level the playing field because "a lot of people are going to do it poorly." If Hovland simply runs an average—or slightly hot—putter, Mayo expects him to contend, adding that the Norwegian has already shown he can handle Jack Nicklaus designs with last season’s victory here. His actionable call: grab the outright now before the number drops and keep Hovland in any DFS core builds.

Kenny Kim slotted Viktor Hovland as his third cash-game cornerstone at $8.9K, citing a streak of five straight made cuts since the Valspar win and elite ball-striking that perfectly suits Muirfield Village. Hovland is gaining over 1.2 strokes on approach per round during that stretch and putts nearly half a stroke better on bentgrass than other surfaces. Kim acknowledged the Norwegian’s boom-bust reputation but argued his recent consistency plus 2nd-place career birdie rate on long, over-par courses gives both floor and slate-breaking upside in balanced builds.

Kim fired on Viktor Hovland at 45-1 with three places, arguing the Norwegian is built for long, difficult scoring venues. Hovland is top-10 in this field in both strokes-gained: approach and tee-to-green on courses over 7,400 yards that play over par, and he ranks second in career birdie-or-better percentage on that subset. The 2023 Memorial champion putts his best on bentgrass and has quietly tightened his short-game leaks, losing barely a stroke around the greens in recent starts instead of the 3-plus he used to hemorrhage. Kim sees a discounted outright number on a proven course horse whose ball-striking never left.

Michael Breed expressed real concern over Viktor Hovland’s recent form. Since nearly toppling Brooks Koepka at Oak Hill, Hovland’s game has "ebbed and flowed," with Breed noting an unusual number of weak approach shots and miscues around the greens—errors that Quail Hollow’s 7,600-yard setup will punish. Breed acknowledged Hovland’s ceiling if everything clicks but called him too volatile for outright bets this week. He labeled Hovland a boom-or-bust tournament flyer in DFS rather than a core play.

David Barnett flagged Viktor Hovland as his favorite high-priced DFS pivot. Hovland ranks 14th in Barnett’s model thanks to scorching iron play—nearly six strokes gained on approach during his Valspar win—and 182-mph ball speed that will attack Quail’s 470-yard par-4s. Barnett stressed that rain-softened turf minimizes Hovland’s weakest link (around-the-green), turning his elite tee-to-green profile loose. The Norwegian finished T-24 at Quail last year and owns a 3rd and runner-up in the last two PGAs. With roster percentages expected to condense around Justin Thomas and Patrick Cantlay at similar salaries, Barnett thinks a low-owned Hovland “could tilt GPPs.”

Reynolds punched a 55-1 ticket on Viktor Hovland (FanDuel). Hovland was 3rd on debut at Quail Hollow in 2021 and owns a stellar recent PGA résumé: 2nd at Oak Hill in 2023 and 3rd at Valhalla in 2024, shooting eight straight PGA rounds of 70 or better (four of them 66 or lower). The Norwegian snapped a quiet stretch by winning the Valspar six weeks ago and ranks inside the top-15 in Strokes Gained: Long Courses and Approach. Reynolds believes the combination of historical comfort and regained form make the price mis-aligned.

Brandon Gdula recommended Viktor Hovland at +400 for a top-10 finish, arguing that Quail Hollow’s rain-soaked fairways will turn the major into a pure ball-striking contest that masks Hovland’s short-game weakness. Hovland sits 26th in DataGolf’s pro rankings—well inside the historical top-12 threshold for most recent major winners—and is gaining 7.4 yards per drive on the field (40th in distance) while ranking 9th in approach over his last 50 rounds. Gdula acknowledged the wedges remain shaky but noted Hovland’s putter runs hot-and-cold, giving him enough ceiling if the flatstick cooperates. With only three par-5s and softened greens limiting rollout, he expects carry distance and iron play to separate contenders; those are Hovland’s strengths. Gdula prefers the top-10 because it captures upside without requiring the perfect short-game week a 50-1 outright would need, but he still views Hovland as one of the few mid-tier names capable of winning if everything clicks.

Keith Stewart called Viktor Hovland a live sleeper at 50-1, noting Kerry Haigh’s traditional PGA Championship setups emphasize speed off the tee, long-iron proficiency and aggressive scoring—three attributes Hovland excels at. Stewart highlighted the Norwegian’s major track record: runner-up in 2023 and third last year, plus a top-10 strokes-gained ranking in majors since 2020. With Quail Hollow stretching long and likely playing soft, Stewart believes Hovland’s distance and spike-approach potential give him true win equity at a mid-tier number.

Hochberg slotted Viktor Hovland at $9,800 as a pure upside GPP target. The Norwegian flashed elite form with a recent Valspar win and followed with top-25s at the Masters and Harbour Town. Long-iron and driver remain weapons; putting is serviceable (115th) but his around-the-green play is the true leak. If Hovland’s iron play is "as great as it can be," wedge work becomes less critical on Quail’s large greens. Hochberg recommends sprinkling Hovland into tournament builds for sub-10% ownership spike weeks.

Polzin advised against selecting Viktor Hovland in Tier 2, bluntly stating the Norwegian is “playing terrible golf” and choosing him would be "just trying to get lucky." Hovland’s recent finishes sit well outside the top-40 in three straight starts, and Polzin prefers consistent performers like Cantlay, Conners or Fleetwood. With no course-specific form to offset the slump, Hovland is a clear fade in pools this week.

Andy Lack pegged Viktor Hovland as the premier mid-tier outright at 35/1. Lack recalled Hovland’s T3 on Quail-debut and near-misses at Valhalla and Oak Hill, showing he thrives on long, rough-laden major venues. Hovland already owns a 2025 victory at Valspar—another course with Poa triv overseed and a surprising number of 200-plus-yard approaches—while ranking 4th in proximity from 175-225 yards this season. Lack highlighted that Quail Hollow demands exactly that skill set, with roughly 40 % of approaches projected from 200+. Although Hovland sat T-55 at Philadelphia Cricket on Friday, Lack dismissed the form dip, noting Hovland gained strokes tee-to-green but lost over three with the putter on unfamiliar bentgrass. Returning to Champion Bermuda should ‘re-ignite the flat-stick’ where Hovland has gained in five of his last seven starts. Given his elite long-iron play, steady driving and proven major contention, Lack believes 35s are a gift and is betting outrights and top-5s before the market sharpens.

Joe Idone said Viktor Hovland becomes a slam-dunk outright if books drift into the 33-to-35-1 range. Idone framed Hovland as an extremely streaky player who must be bought at the top of his peaks, and the numbers suggest that peak is arriving: a win at Valero, T22 at Augusta despite a cold putter, and T13 at Harbour Town. Over his last seven starts Hovland is gaining solidly on approach while his short-game losses have shrunk to roughly –1.2 strokes instead of the disastrous –4 he used to post. Idone also cited on-site intel from Truest—no coaches, no TrackMan surrounding Hovland for the first time all year—as proof the Norwegian finally trusts his swing. Crucially, the PGA Championship’s setups are more forgiving around the green, and Hovland has gained strokes chipping in all five PGA starts while posting 2nd and 3rd the last two years. Catching him at 33-plus therefore offers real win equity without overpaying for the volatility.

Kenny Kim views Viktor Hovland as a classic boom-bust target and wants to pounce when the market drifts into the low 30s. Hovland’s self-diagnosed perfectionism produces wild swings—he over-tinkers and loses form, then resurfaces with a heater—so Kim tries to time the peaks. Recent evidence suggests the upswing is coming: victory at Valero, a respectable Masters (T22 despite a cold putter) and a top-15 at Harbour Town. Those results coincide with a rediscovered driver-plus-long-iron combo that suits the 7,600-yard Quail setup, while his once-maligned short game ranks league-average over the last 24 rounds. Kim will add Hovland at 33-to-1 or better for outright bets and sprinkle DFS exposure, but says patience is key because early boards still show 25-to-1.

Matt Gannon recommended betting Viktor Hovland at 25-1, calling Philly Cricket Club the most Hovland-friendly layout he has ever walked. Gannon spent Monday charting the track and reported it is driver-heavy with several mid-to-long-iron approaches, exactly Hovland’s strengths. Around-the-green difficulty—normally Hovland’s Achilles heel—is almost nonexistent: bunkers are flat and benign, rough is lush and fluffy, and the bentgrass surfaces are predictable. Gannon compared the setup to Olympia Fields and Muirfield Village, both venues where Hovland has already won, and sees no reason the Norwegian cannot replicate that success in a no-cut field.

Brian Kirschner jumped on Viktor Hovland at +2800, arguing the 2023 FedEx Cup champ owns more true win equity than peers in his price band. Hovland’s best performances—wins or near-wins at Oak Hill, Muirfield Village and Olympia Fields—have come on classical bentgrass courses featuring moderate scoring, the exact profile of Philly Cricket Club. With soft conditions and precise iron play expected to separate the field, Kirschner believes Hovland’s ball-striking sets him up to contend deep into Sunday.

Joe Musso pegged Viktor Hovland as his favorite first-time major winner bet. Hovland sat inside the top three on Sunday at each of the previous two PGAs before a bunker miscue at Oak Hill and a back-nine stall at Valhalla. Musso pointed out that Hovland still ranks top-10 in total driving and strokes-gained approach this season while quietly gaining 1.6 strokes around the green at Harbour Town after short-game tweaks with coach Joe Mayo. With the statistical profile finally complete and odds hovering around 25-1, Musso believes the Norwegian has the highest ceiling among non-major winners and is a must-click in outright markets and DFS GPP lineups.

Cody Williams highlights Viktor Hovland as an intriguing outright option, noting that although he was somewhat inconsistent at the Masters, Hovland has notably gained strokes on approach for six straight events. Additionally, he's showing encouraging improvement in his putting and around-the-green performance. Given his elite iron play from 125-200 yards and a recent Valspar victory, Williams considers Hovland's game and trajectory perfect for Harbour Town this week.

Rick Gehman advocated Viktor Hovland as a high-upside DFS option at RBC Heritage, citing his elite ball-striking history at Harbour Town and broader potential to contend weekly on tour. Gehman noted a recent minor setback at Augusta, losing 1.7 strokes off-the-tee while adjusting to a new Ping driver and shaft, but stressed that Harbour Town's positional layout significantly mitigates driving issues. Gehman emphasized Hovland's established track record as a premier ball-striker at this course from two previous appearances and sees him as an ideal DFS second-tier selection capable of delivering a winning tournament performance. Gehman specifically highlighted Hovland as preferable to comparable priced options such as Jason Day, Jordan Spieth, and Tommy Fleetwood based purely on top-end potential to secure victories.

Kenny Kim enthusiastically endorsed betting Viktor Hovland at RBC Heritage, placing him at 28 to 1 odds, citing observable boosts in confidence following recent tournaments including the Masters. Kenny dismissed prior concerns regarding Hovland's inconsistency, emphasizing his superior recent ball-striking ability and strong iron play from key yardages (175-200 yards) relevant at Harbour Town. Although wary of potential issues on shorter shots around the greens, Kim noted Hovland barely lost strokes in the short game at Augusta, suggesting notable improvements and minimal risk for this week's conditions.

Steve Bamford makes a compelling case for Viktor Hovland at RBC Heritage, citing Viktor's recent victory at the Valspar Championship played at Copperhead, a similar Carolina-style course featuring TifEagle Bermudagrass greens like Harbour Town. Bamford emphasizes Hovland's tendency to win tournaments in quick succession, as demonstrated by his multiple victories in short spans during 2021-2022 and again in 2023. Additionally, Hovland's previous experience at Harbour Town in 2020 and 2023, including entering the weekend in contention last year before fading away, further supports his candidacy. Despite a quieter Masters performance, where Viktor still demonstrated strong ball striking and ranked 13th in strokes gained approach, Bamford sees Hovland as primed for a strong result this week.

Keith Stewart was cautious about Viktor Hovland's chances at Augusta due to Hovland himself acknowledging glaring weaknesses in his short game. Stewart described how Augusta's exceptionally difficult conditions around the greens, characterized by the grass growing into the player, punishes any technical short game inefficiencies—a weakness Hovland openly admitted to. Citing Hovland's previous comments about the bunkers having heavy sand and creating challenging shots, Stewart pointed out that missing greens and facing tough recovery shots is inevitable at Augusta. As Hovland mentioned explicitly, Augusta demands creativity and flawless technique near the greens, elements he feels he currently struggles with. Stewart warned that due to these confessed weaknesses, Hovland's potential at this particular tournament appears significantly limited, despite recent strong form and a win at the Valspar.

John Murray highlighted sharp betting action targeting Viktor Hovland at The Masters, specifically in his matchup against Jordan Spieth. Hovland, available at plus money (+115), attracted sharp bettors due to perceived value and potential outperforming expectations. Murray presented this as notable betting information, backing Hovland based on sharp funds flowing towards his side against Spieth.

According to Golf Digest's anonymous swing coach, Viktor Hovland at 33-1 presents a risk to bettors at Augusta due to limited creativity and challenges around the greens. Despite solid recent play, including a win in Tampa, the coach emphasizes Augusta National's high demands on a golfer's short-game and specifically the ability to execute varied, creative shots. Given this, the coach believes Hovland remains poorly suited toward Augusta success despite recent positive results elsewhere, cautioning against betting on him at these odds.

Andy Lack recommended avoiding Viktor Hovland, citing a significant historical trend indicating that players rarely win a major immediately following a victory the preceding week. He mentioned specific examples like Scotty Scheffler narrowly missing a win at Houston directly before a major last year, implying that peaking a week early hurt long-term chances. Viktor Hovland recently winning at a prior week's event puts him at direct odds with this powerful historical trend. Andy thus advised bettors and DFS players to fade Hovland's odds for a Masters win this year, anticipating regression after the recent victory.

Pat Perry revealed that, although he bet Viktor Hovland earlier in the year at considerably more favorable 60-to-1 odds, he would not advise betting Hovland at the current market price of 35-to-1. Perry cautioned against Hovland due specifically to concerns about his scrambling ability, a key requirement around Augusta's notoriously difficult greens. He admitted liking Hovland's skill set overall and acknowledged his solid Masters debut as the low amateur, but explicitly clarified he wouldn't recommend the wager at the significantly shorter odds currently available due to the considerable question marks around Hovland's short game and scrambling consistency at Augusta.

Pat Mayo remains skeptical of Viktor Hovland's Masters potential despite his recent victory, placing him in the same problematic category as Hideki Matsuyama—players lacking consistency. Mayo highlighted Hovland's alarming form before that recent win, including multiple missed cuts, a historical red flag since Masters winners rarely enter Augusta in shaky form. Even though Hovland ranks highly in Mayo's statistical modeling and trends analysis, Mayo doubts Hovland's ability to carry recent momentum to a successful Masters performance, strongly recommending against betting or high DFS exposure to Hovland this year.

David Barnett expressed significant concerns about Viktor Hovland's viability at Augusta National, even predicting him to be one of the lowest-owned DFS options in the 9K and above range. Despite Hovland's consistently strong iron play, Barnett remains particularly worried about Hovland's severe struggles around the green and with putting. Highlighting Augusta's frequent 30-50 yard wedge shot demands, Barnett does not trust Hovland's recent spike in putting form at Valspar (+7.3 strokes gained) to hold. With only a single top 10 Masters finish two years ago, Barnett is fully prepared to fade Hovland, believing his short game inadequacies significantly outweigh any iron play upside.

Matt Gannon strongly advised fading Viktor Hovland for The Masters, despite Viktor recently winning his last start at Valspar Championship following three consecutive missed cuts. Gannon clarified he does not trust Hovland's results, pointing out that Viktor's perennial weakness in short game remains clearly evident. Although Hovland saw success through hot putting at Valspar, Augusta National requires precise short game and nasty greenside tests throughout 72 demanding holes. Gannon emphasized Viktor historically struggles significantly around Augusta's greens, citing this limitation as the key reason Hovland won't contend deep into Sunday. He further mentioned that softer, wetter conditions could marginally improve Viktor's chances, but generally advised bettors to steer clear at current odds.

Pat Perry revealed he's been quietly buying shares of Viktor Hovland for The Masters, highlighting the recent Valspar Championship win at 80 to 1 odds as a key indication of value despite Hovland admitting he felt lost with his swing. Pat emphasized that even though Hovland hit some notably poor chip shots and struggled around the green, his remarkable shots under pressure on holes 16 and 17 demonstrate his ability to overcome adversity. Pat compared Hovland's scenario to past situations with Brooks Koepka, citing instances when elite players suddenly win at long odds. He recommended considering Hovland for The Masters at his previous long odds (50-80 to 1), although warned against buying in at his current shorter price (25-30 to 1).

Mike McClure highlighted Viktor Hovland as a candidate for a DFS lineup, despite a rocky round one in his last outing where he lost four strokes with the putter. Hovland recovered with a strong round two and showcased excellent approach play, especially in the crucial 175 to 200 yards proximity range. McClure considers Hovland's ability to bounce back important and sees him as under-owned due to recent struggles, making him an attractive option considering his skill set aligns well with the course challenges.

Christopher Powers believes Viktor Hovland could deliver surprisingly strong results at Sawgrass, despite weaker recent overall results. Powers pinpoints Hovland's under-the-radar excellent approach stats from the Arnold Palmer Invitational, where he gained over four strokes on approach, offset by poor putting that led to a missed cut. With the potential for putting variance to swing positively, Powers underscores Hovland’s upside at TPC Sawgrass—a course famously favoring precision on second shots. Powers reminds bettors of Hovland's propensity to contend at premier venues (e.g., second-place finishes at last year’s FedEx St. Jude and PGA Championship), emphasizing that Hovland remains a lurking threat in big tournaments regardless of his recent slump.

Justin Van Zuiden categorically advised avoiding Viktor Hovland in DFS at this week's Players Championship due to his poor current form. Van Zuiden expressed significant concern over Hovland's struggles last week, noting weak statistical performances, which resulted in him ranking unusually low (86th) in the tout's model. Van Zuiden stated he sees no value at Hovland’s current DraftKings price near 9,000 salary and will confidently omit him from his lineups.

Mike Petta strongly advocated fading Viktor Hovland, describing recent performances as extremely poor. His struggles are severe enough that Petta does not believe DFS players will select him frequently, despite relatively low ownership opportunities. He advises confidently fading him, comfortable accepting any financial loss if Hovland improbably rebounds.

Jason Sobel strongly advises fading Viktor Hovland in matchups due to evident mental frustration and ongoing swing troubles. During the pro-am at Sawgrass, Hovland hit two balls in water on 17th and appeared visibly frustrated, isolating himself and spending hours grinding at the driving range afterward. Sobel categorizes Hovland as a big fade, taking Will Zalatoris over him in matchups as Zalatoris has shown signs of improved form.

Ben Coley strongly advises placing a win-only outright wager at long odds (around 100-110) on Viktor Hovland to win THE PLAYERS Championship based on his exceptional recent iron play, recording his best approach metrics in nearly two years at Bay Hill last week. Although Hovland struggled on the greens and missed the cut, Coley points to Sawgrass being potentially more forgiving, especially after a reunion with his former coach. Hovland also has demonstrated past success at this venue with two top-10 finishes in four appearances and is capable of contending in major events. Coley suggests this wager also offers significant trading possibilities if Hovland starts well.

Matthew Wiley pointed to Viktor Hovland as a promising bounce-back candidate at THE PLAYERS Championship, despite missing the cut recently. Wiley emphasized that Hovland's underlying iron numbers remained strong even as his putter let him down. He noted that Hovland maintained excellent ball-striking metrics, signaling a quick turnaround potential if he finds any improvement on the greens. While acknowledging his downbeat demeanor, Wiley believes Hovland's iron consistency provides significant upside this week, particularly at a discounted ownership due to recent results and higher price.

Byron Lindeque points out Viktor Hovland as a strong coverage play in DFS at $9,000 due to significant putting struggles that overshadow excellent ball-striking form. Viktor has consistently ranked highly in field ball-striking metrics recently but lost significant strokes putting. Byron expects Hovland's putting to regress back positively soon and believes low projected ownership makes him a high-ceiling leverage play, especially appealing in larger DFS tournaments.

Andy Lack detailed Viktor Hovland's struggles leading up to the Arnold Palmer Invitational, based on a report from trusted source 'Utah Stick.' Utah Stick, observing Hovland in practice rounds, revealed that he was visibly frustrated, experiencing a 'meltdown' and showing clear discomfort and frustration. Andy immediately acted on this insight, removing Hovland from his exposure and shifting his confidence to other golfers like Keegan Bradley, who appeared steadier. Lack emphasized the value of on-course information and highlighted Hovland's mental struggles as justification for fading him in DFS and betting markets at Bay Hill.

Rick Gehman shared caution on Viktor Hovland at THE PLAYERS Championship, referencing alarming recent trends hurting his DFS reliability. He mentioned Hovland's shaky putting and problematic around-the-green play being particularly detrimental at TPC Sawgrass, which typically demands excellent short game. Gehman noted starkly poor ball-striking rounds recently at Bay Hill and flagged his tentative looking strokes on the green. Despite typically strong ball striking, Gehman is notably concerned and recommends limiting or cautiously approaching Hovland in DFS lineups until Hovland displays consistent improvements.