Is Viktor Hovland The Best Male Golfer Yet To Win A Major?

Hovland is one of the most exciting golfers to come out of Europe in the last decade, already adding a FedEx Cup title to his trophy cabinet among many other titles, but he's yet to win a Major...

Tommy Fleetwood walking at the 2025 US Open, Viktor Hovland holding the FedEx Cup trophy in 2023 and Rickie Folwer holding the Rocket Mortgage Classic trophy in 2023
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Currently in contention at the 2025 US Open at Oakmont Country Club, Viktor Hovland is poised to challenge for the third Major Championship.

Turning pro in 2019 and gaining his PGA Tour card in 2020, he has already racked up seven wins in America. To add to that, he won the FedEx Cup in 2023 and enjoyed a prolonged spell in the top five of the Official World Golf Ranking.

There is just one thing missing though... a Major trophy.

The US Open trophy at Pebble Beach in California

(Image credit: Getty Images)

The Norwegian has come close to adding one of the four esteemed titles to his trophy cabinet. In 2023, he came T2 at the PGA Championship and finished T4 at the 150th Open in 2022.

Viktor Hovland's Best Major Finishes:

  • 2023 PGA Championship - T2
  • 2024 PGA Championship - 3
  • 2023 Masters - T7
  • 2022 Open Championship - T4
  • 2021 Open Championship - T12
  • 2019 US Open - T12

Hovland has struggled since his successful campaign in 2023, winning just once since, at the 2025 Valspar Championship. In his 12 starts so far this year, that win was his only top ten and he has also missed four cuts.

After injury that cut short his 2024 season and breaking from coach Joe Mayo, marking their second split in just 15 months, he struggled to kick on from his FedEx Cup success. He failed to win for the first time in his career across a single season and carded a career-low in top 10s.

However, Hovland is starting to find some form again and is looking much like his old self. This year he is 9th for Strokes Gained: Approach The Green and 20th for Birdie Average, on the PGA Tour.

His iron play and putting have been magnificent throughout the third Major so far, and if both continue, he will be well in the mix to win come Sunday.

Viktor Hovland with the FedEx Cup trophy

(Image credit: Getty Images)

After the second round, he said, "I've definitely felt better about it (swing). But still haven't been overly confident in my ball-striking up until recently.

"But last week we saw some really good progress, and earlier this week was very happy with some of the shots that I was hitting out there in the practice rounds. Super excited that I was able to take that out with me in the tournament.

"Yeah, for some reason I've just been in a really nice mental state this week. It's like, both my rounds have been very up and down.

"I feel like a couple times if it would have happened at another tournament, for example, I could have potentially lost my mind there a little bit. But I felt like I kept things together very well."

Viktor Hovland with the US Open low amateur medal

(Image credit: Getty Images)

In 2019, the European Ryder Cup star finished in T12 at the US Open and was the low-amateur at Pebble Beach. It was his first Major as a professional and is his best result in the tournament.

Current PGA Tour Players Yet To Win A Major

He isn't the only star name not to win a Major so far in his career. The likes of Tommy Fleetwood and Rickie Fowler, who are renowned names on the PGA Tour, are just two of a long list of players yet to pick up one of the four big men's trophies.

Fowler for instance has come second in three of the four, with his best PGA Championship finsh being third.

Tommy Fleetwood also has two second places at both the US Open and Open Championship and has top-fives in all four tournaments.

Here's a list of a number of the current tour players yet to win a Major, some of which may surprise you:

Notable PGA Tour Players Who Haven't Yet Won A Major:

  • Viktor Hovland
  • Tommy Fleetwood
  • Ludvig Aberg
  • Patrick Cantlay
  • Rickie Fowler
  • Tony Finau
  • Sam Burns
  • Russell Henley
  • Min Woo Lee
  • Sepp Straka

Notable LIV Golf Players Who Haven't Yet Won A Major:

  • Joaquin Niemann
  • Marc Leishman
  • Tyrrell Hatton
  • Abraham Ancer
  • Paul Casey
  • Lee Westwood
Euan Tickner
News Writer

Euan has just finished a BA Sports Journalism degree at the University of Brighton and is currently working with the news team at Golf Monthly. He would love a career in Golf and is looking to expand his journalistic skills while learning from some of the best golf writers in the industry.

His time at university has granted him access to top sporting venues, such as reporting on an England women's football match held at the AMEX stadium and multiple reporting opportunities at racecourses such as Goodwood and Kempton Park.

A keen golfer throughout his childhood, Euan currently plays off a handicap of 13.6 and is a member of the Dyke Golf Club near Brighton, UK. His fondest golfing memory to date would be playing the stunning Faldo and O’Connor Jnr. Courses at Amendoeira Golf Resort.

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