5 golfers who overperformed their odds at Valspar Championship 2025 ft. Viktor Hovland

The Valspar Championship came and went last weekend, marking the first non-Signature Event on the PGA Tour in a little while. It was a thrilling weekend of golf, though, and it resulted in a battle that went down to the wire. The final leaderboard had a few surprises on it, including a few who drastically outdid their pre-tournament odds. Here are the best examples of that.

---

5 golfers who outdid expectations at the Valspar Championship

5) Eric Cole

Eric Cole finished T12 at the Valspar Championship (Image via Imagn)

Eric Cole didn't even make it into the top odds from CBS Sports, which included long shots like Joseph Bramlett and Danny Walker at +15000. Cole was considered an even longer shot than them, but he did pretty well all things considered. He shot five under thanks to a -4 Sunday and finished tied for 12th with Xander Schauffele, Kevin Yu and Ricky Castillo.

---

4) Davis Riley

Davis Riley outperformed his odds at the Valspar Championship (Image via Imagn)

Much like Cole, Davis Riley really outdid the expectations. The golfer finished seventh after shooting -7, an outcome the sportsbooks were not expecting. He was not even listed in the top 63, meaning he was an extreme long shot worse than +15000. To even come close to winning after those opening odds is an impressive feat, and he played well overall.

---

3) Bud Cauley

Bud Cauley did well at the Valspar Championship (Image via Imagn)

At +7500, no one really expected Bud Cauley to compete this weekend, but he did more than just that. He finished tied for fourth with stars like Billy Horschel and Ryo Hisatsune. A final-round charge (-5, which pushed him to -8 on the weekend) ensured that he overperformed his initial odds and made a name for himself on the Tour.

---

2) Jacob Bridgeman

Jacob Bridgeman placed third (Image via Imagn)

On the final leaderboard, Jacob Bridgeman came in third by just two strokes. Taking a look at the opening odds, Bridgeman wasn't close to the top. He was +7500 (like Cauley), making him a significant overperformer. He started by shooting over par but rebounded with an incredible Saturday and Sunday run that saw 70 and 69 scorelines.

---

1) Viktor Hovland

Viktor Hovland outperformed his odds (Image via Imagn)

No one outperformed like Viktor Hovland. The golfer came in at +5000, tied for the 15th-best chance at winning. He outdid everyone in the field, even those who had better odds than him, at the Valspar Championship. Thanks to a steady performance, he won. Hovland had no round better than -4, but he also didn't get over par in any round, either. He won by one stroke.