Keith Stewart advised caution regarding Viktor Hovland at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, suggesting to avoid him due to uncertainty about his form and weaknesses in his short game. Stewart noted that while Hovland can be very straight with his long clubs and is great for courses like Oak Hill, Olympia Fields, and Bay Hill, they haven't seen him play in a while. He expressed concern that Hovland might miss a lot of greens and isn't the strongest short game player, making him a risky pick. Stewart stated that if he doesn't know, he prefers to stay away.

Matt Jerzyk expressed concerns about Viktor Hovland's readiness for the Arnold Palmer Invitational, noting that Hovland appears to be focusing less on playing and more on experimenting with his game. Jerzyk mentioned that Hovland has been difficult to spot on the course recently and seems to be conducting a 'science experiment' with his practice routines, possibly working on his short game and putting. He also noted that Hovland is putting a new putter in the bag but has yet to see him out on the golf course, raising doubts about his current form and preparedness for the tournament.

Rick Gehman recommended Victor Hovland as a strong play for the Arnold Palmer Invitational, citing his excellent ball-striking abilities and the course's suitability for his game. Gehman noted that Bay Hill's thick rough around the greens mitigates Hovland's short-game weaknesses. Hovland has gained strokes around the green in half of his starts at this course and has gained strokes putting in his last four appearances. Priced at $8,300, Hovland offers significant upside with potential for a top-five finish. Gehman prefers Hovland over other players in the same price range, such as Shane Lowry, Sepp Straka, Robert MacIntyre, and Keegan Bradley. He also plans to bet on Hovland for a top-10 finish at odds of 3 to 1 or 3.5 to 1.

Mike McClure pegged Viktor Hovland as a 55-1 value play at the 2025 Arnold Palmer Invitational despite his missed cut at The Genesis Invitational. Hovland was 12th in the final FedEx Cup standings last year and claimed the overall title the previous season, logging 18 top-25 finishes in 23 events. He has made the cut all six times at Bay Hill, highlighted by a T-2 finish in 2022. McClure’s model expects a rebound from Hovland based on his proven consistency and track record on challenging courses.

Ben Coley advised taking a chance on Viktor Hovland at 55/1 outright and 50/1 for first-round leader. He pointed to Hovland’s near-miss at Bay Hill in 2022, where he took second, and his tenth-place finish in 2023, when thick rough around the greens favored Hovland’s ball-striking. Although Hovland’s recent form has been mixed—partly due to a minor foot injury—Coley argued that Hovland still gained strokes via his tee-to-green game in his last two starts. He expects Bay Hill’s point-and-shoot nature to play to Hovland’s strengths, giving him the upside to contend or even lead after Thursday’s round.

Michael Harrison said Viktor Hovland represents a solid betting opportunity at +5500 because of his success at Bay Hill. Though he hasn’t matched his 2023 FedEx Cup–winning form, Hovland has still posted a runner-up finish at the 2022 Arnold Palmer Invitational and a T-10 in 2023. In his last twelve rounds at Bay Hill, he ranks third in total strokes gained, eighth tee-to-green, and has continued to show flashes of strong ball striking in recent starts, including a T-22nd at Pebble Beach.