2025 U.S. Open Best Bets: 'Re-Popping' Viktor Hovland Entering Round 4

Sixty-seven guys made the weekend for the 2025 U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club, aka the hardest golf course in the world. But, only maybe seven can win entering the final round. And I'm only saying seven because World No.1 Scottie Scheffler is lurking, if you can call it that, eight strokes at +4 behind and FanDuel's seventh betting choice (+6500) at the time of writing. 

The other six guys are +2500 or below and within five strokes of the U.S. Open three-round leader, Sam Burns, who is the betting favorite (+160) at -4. Behind Burns are Adam Scott and J.J. Spaun, tied at -3. Scott, the 2013 Masters champion, is the second betting favorite (+300), and Spaun, whose only PGA TOUR win is the 2022 Valero Texas Open, is third (+330). 

Then we have LIV Tour defectors, Carlos Ortiz (+2200) and Tyrrell Hatton (+2500), who are Even-par and +1 after 54 holes. Ortiz is a one-time winner on both the PGA and LIV Tours. Hatton has 10 international wins, eight on the DP World Tour, once on the LIV Tour, and the 2020 Arnold Palmer Invitational on the PGA TOUR. 

Related: WYNDHAM CLARK ALLEGEDLY DESTROYS LOCKERS AT OAKMONT AFTER MISSING CUT AT U.S. OPEN

Viktor Hovland is between Scott-Spaun and Ortiz-Hatton, at +600 odds and a -1. Hovland has nine international wins, most recently at the 2025 Valspar Championship, and is the 2023 TOUR Champion. The 27-year-old has the most PGA TOUR wins without a major (seven) and was second on my 2025 U.S. Open betting card pre-tournament at +6000. 

First of all, I'm fading Burns and Spaun. I had money on Burns at last week's RBC Canadian Open and watched him choke in a playoff loss to Ryan Fox. Burns, the best putter on TOUR this season, missed a six-foot-ish putt to win and three-putted to lose last week. Spaun folded under pressure at THE 2025 PLAYERS Championship, losing to Rory McIlroy in a Monday playoff, too. 

In fact, as a Hovland backer, Scott is the golfer I'm most afraid of entering the final round. It feels like Burns and Spaun are lucky, whereas Scott is playing well. He has 21 international wins, including 13 on the PGA TOUR, and is leading the field in Strokes Gained (SG): Off-the-Tee (OTT), the most important stat for U.S. Opens. 

That said, Hovland is by far the best ball-striker in the mix at the U.S. Open. He leads the field in SG: Approach this week and ranks ninth on TOUR this season. He is having a down year with the driver, but Hovland is a flusher, who is top-20 OTT when he has his A-game. Hovland's biggest weakness, chipping, is muted because the rough is impossible for everyone at Oakmont. 

Finally, since "hedging" is for gardeners and Hovland is one of "my guys" after winning the 2023 BMW and TOUR Championships for me, I'm betting him again before Round 4. Hovland is the best player in the top 10 and leads the field in SG: Tee-To-Green through three rounds. He is 51st in SG: Putting this week, but Hovland putt his way to victory before at the 2023 BMW. 

Add a half-unit on Viktor Hovland (+600) to win the 2025 U.S. Open After Round 3

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