Ryan's Top 125: Volume Three
It’s hard to believe the West Coast Swing is behind us and Magnolia Lane is just around the corner. With the PGA TOUR moving to The Honda Classic for the Florida Swing, it’s the perfect time for an update to the top 125.
Here’s a breakdown of what happened since we last checked in:
• Patrick Reed came from behind to top Jimmy Walker in a playoff at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions. Rather than pout, Walker successfully defended his 2014 Sony Open title a week later.
• Bill Haas proved to still be a course horse at PGA West, winning his second Humana Challenge to go with a runner-up finish. A week later Brooks Koepka broke through for the first time on the PGA TOUR at the Waste Management Phoenix Open.
• Often knocked for not winning enough on the PGA TOUR in relation to his considerable talent, Jason Day emerged with a playoff win at the Farmers Insurance Open. There is little doubt that expectations are through the roof for the Aussie this year.
• Brandt Snedeker punched his ticket back to the Masters with his second win at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, proving that course horses were clearly the way to go in the early stages of the 2015 portion of the 2014-15 season.
• Perhaps the only true surprise of the West Coast Swing was James Hahn’s first PGA TOUR win at the Northern Trust Open. In some ways, it was reminiscent of the 2013 win by John Merrick. Both attended college in California and each has proven to be hit or miss in the past, but both triumphed on one of the most iconic courses on the PGA TOUR.
With that as the backdrop, here is the third edition of the 2014-15 to my Top 125.
Rank Golfer (Previous Rank) Comment
1 Rory McIlroy (1) About to finally make his PGA TOUR season debut in The Honda Classic, but playing excellent golf overseas. I it wouldn’t surprise anyone if he picked off a couple of quick wins.
2 Bubba Watson (9) Finished inside the top 15 in each of his three West Coast starts, including a T2 at the Waste Management Phoenix Open. Watch out for him at Doral.
3 Dustin Johnson (25) Fatherhood and a new lease on PGA TOUR life seem to be treating him well. After a missed cut at Torrey Pines, he tied for forth at Pebble Beach and lost in a playoff at Riviera Country Club.
4 Jason Day (12) His win at the Farmers Insurance Open unlocks what could be a massive season. Perhaps this is the year he breaks through in a major.
5 Jimmy Walker (11) Took care of business to the level we expected out west. With the sweet spot of his schedule now behind him, it’s all about his ability to maintain his pace.
6 Jordan Spieth (4) With three top-seven finishes in four starts during the West Coast Swing, he has done nothing to disappoint.
7 Jim Furyk (8) Began his season at Pebble Beach with a competitive T7 and tied for 14th at Riviera a week later. Buy.
8 Matt Kuchar (2) It’s less about what he didn’t do and more about what those around him accomplished. Still a solid option across the board.
9 Justin Rose (5) His owners will be excited to see him back in action at The Honda Classic this week after missing the cut at Torrey Pines.
10 Robert Streb (10) Tossed a couple of more top 10s on the fire since the calendar turned to 2015 before having his first baby. Expect him to contend a few more times this year.
11 Adam Scott (6) Speaking of new dads, Scott is expected to get back on the horse at Doral next week.
12 Sergio Garcia (7) Collapsed with a bogey-bogey finish on Sunday at Riviera to miss a playoff by a shot, but that he was in contention this early in the season was great news.
13 Hideki Matsuyama (35) Sitting out The Honda Classic with a sore wrist, but he’s solidified that he’s the real deal.
14 Sang-moon Bae (41) Probably my biggest miss on the preseason rankings, he’s been consistently solid in 2014-15 and earlier concerns about a possible return to South Korea have yet to materialize.
15 Brandt Snedeker (47) His win at Pebble completely changes the trajectory of his season and puts him back on the map as a serious contender.
16 Rickie Fowler (3) He’s not done anything to back up his stellar 2013-14 PGA TOUR season. Maybe he’s just waiting on the majors?
17 Bill Haas (21) Full disclosure of a wrist injury dating back to the 2014 RBC Heritage has come out, but it didn’t stop him from winning the Humana. He has mentioned that the wrist injury has impacted his distance off the tee.
18 Brooks Koepka (24) It’s going to be fun to watch how high his star rises this season.
19 Patrick Reed (29) We all know he’s dangerous when he’s on his game, but he’s still prone to fall a little off the map from time to time.
20 Charley Hoffman (26) Backed up his Mayakoba win with a T2 in the Humana Challenge.
21 Ryan Moore (13) Three top 25s, but no top 15s in 2015. Just treading water, which is actually going backwards when one is this high up the list.
22 Keegan Bradley (14) Broke out of mediocrity with a T4 in the Northern Trust Open last week, and is a popular play at PGA National this week.
23 Hunter Mahan (27) Quietly making all of his cuts with three top 20s in six starts.
24 Nick Watney (80) Really came alive on the West Coast Swing with a T7 in the Farmers Insurance Open and a solo second at Pebble Beach.
25 J.B. Holmes (77) Went P2-T10-T22 in a three-tournament run beginning at Torrey Pines. Don’t be shocked if he nabs another win this season.
26 Graeme McDowell (30) Makes second start of the 2014-15 season at this week’s Honda Classic after a T3 in the WGC-HSBC.
27 Webb Simpson (20) A T13 at the Sony Open and a T7 at the Humana Challenge could plant the seed for him to start lobbying Davis Love III for a Ryder Cup captain’s pick in 2016.
28 Paul Casey (81) Handled himself very well in the playoff at last week’s Northern Trust Open and has the look of a potential winner this season.
29 Shawn Stefani (39) We don’t fully understand where his ceiling is, but it stands to reason that he hasn’t reached it yet. Certainly on the short list to be a first-time winner this season.
30 Scott Piercy (46) Hasn’t done much since a runner-up finish at the Sony Open, but has proven that he is all the way back from his injury last year.
31 Harris English (35) A T3 in the Sony Open and playoff loss at the Farmers Insurance Open has his star back on the rise.
32 Graham DeLaet (36) Broke out of his slump with a T7 at TPC Scottsdale and a T8 a few weeks later at Riviera CC.
33 Billy Horschel (15) It’s a bit of a waiting game with him. He hasn’t gotten hot yet, but full-season owners must trust that he will while weekly gamers just sit back and wait.
34 Zach Johnson (22) Is it time for the John Deere Classic yet?
35 Phil Mickelson (19) Who knows? He doesn’t.
36 Ben Martin (17) Didn’t shine on the West Coast, but perhaps a return to the East Coast will bode well for the South Carolina native.
37 Lee Westwood (51) Enters this week’s Honda Classic on a bit of a hot streak given his play overseas.
38 Kevin Na (18) Hasn’t been in contention of late, meaning tournaments are back to finishing on time again.
39 Russell Henley (49) Offering a greater amount of consistency than he did his first two seasons on TOUR, and he now returns to PGA National to defend.
40 Justin Thomas (58) Not struggling to get in the hunt. Just needs to figure out how to close the deal.
41 Gary Woodland (28) Steady, but not spectacular. He has yet to translate his enormous power to the level that Bubba Watson, Dustin Johnson and even J.B. Holmes have on TOUR.
42 Ryan Palmer (56) Looking back over the last 15 months, he’s playing the best golf of his career right now. Just needs a win.
43 Henrik Stenson (50) Elite player is inching closer to major and WGC season. If you have waited out his time overseas and can buy him at the right price, do it.
44 Kevin Streelman (44) As expected, he hasn’t done a whole lot to back up his runner-up finish at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open.
45 Chris Kirk (38) Hasn’t cracked a top 25 in a full-field event since his T4 in The McGladrey Classic.
46 Martin Kaymer (45) Like several other Euros, our wait to see him back in the U.S. is about to be over.
47 James Hahn (NR) Traditionally plays his best golf out west, so don’t be surprised if he fades a bit.
48 Brendan Steele (52) In the midst of a very consistent season and meeting our expectations for him.
49 Russell Knox (43) Been a bit of an all-or-nothing player, but don’t be surprised if he picks up a win this season.
50 Charl Schwartzel (33) It was just one week, but he failed to live up to his past history at his previous honey hole of Riviera CC.
51 Martin Laird (64) Investors in the Scot were glad they bought when the season begun, as he’s proven that 2013-14 was an anomaly.
52 Tony Finau (59) The rookie bomber added two more top-25 finishes in five starts on the West Coast Swing to build on his hot open to the season.
53 Brendon de Jonge (48) Found two top 30s and made three of his five cuts in 2015.
54 Tim Clark (40) Hasn’t played since the Sony, and is thought to be nursing an elbow injury. It’s unknown when he will return.
55 Jason Dufner (23) Hopes were high after some solid performances overseas late in 2014, but he has not carried that over to 2015.
56 Marc Leishman (31) Tournaments in Texas will likely tell the tale, but so far he has fallen slightly below expectations.
57 Brendon Todd (37) Returning towards the mean after what looks to have been an uncharacteristic 2013-14 campaign. Sweet spot of his schedule could still be forthcoming.
58 Nick Taylor (55) Hasn’t done much to prove his win was anything other than beginner's luck.
59 Steven Bowditch (63) Missed four cuts since Hawaii but still ranks 27th in the FedExCup standings. It wouldn’t be surprising if he had one or two more hot tournaments.
60 Scott Stallings (Next 10) Playoff loss in his Farmers Insurance Open defense has him back on track in 2014-15.
61 William McGirt (61) Continues to be a steady TOUR pro, but one without a victory to his name.
62 Daniel Berger (NR) The 21-year-old rookie came alive with three top-13 finishes on the West Coast Swing and now moves to his home state of Florida.
63 Andres Gonzales (60) Kept things moving along nicely with a T10 at Pebble Beach.
64 Will MacKenzie (54) Decided to end his winter vacation with a start in The Honda Classic. Actually, that's unfair as he was nursing a sore left hand.
65 Pat Perez (99) Trending nicely to finish in a very familiar range.
66 John Peterson (83) Seems to have finally adjusted to TOUR life and is posting more consistent returns.
67 Daniel Summerhays (67) Several poor weekend rounds have spoiled some chances at special finishes of late.
68 Matt Jones (NR) Finally got his act together with a T7-T14 run at Pebble Beach and Riviera CC, respectively. That T7 was his first top 10 since his win at last year's Shell Houston Open.
69 Carlos Ortiz (96) Top 20s in his last two starts have him well on his way towards retaining his PGA TOUR card for a sophomore season.
70 David Hearn (69) A T21 at Pebble Beach was surrounded by three missed cuts.
71 Retief Goosen (86) Got the blood flowing with the 54-hole lead at the Northern Trust Open.
72 Chesson Hadley (76) His Puerto Rico Open defense in coming soon, and his T10 at Pebble Beach could be a great omen.
73 Jason Kokrak (74) Treading water while we wait for him to have a breakthrough week.
74 John Senden (65) Hasn’t carried the torch from a great 2013-14 season, rather he has returned to a more comfortable norm.
75 Danny Lee (75) Quantity over quality, he’s logged 12 starts already this season. The Honda Classic is No. 13.
76 Zac Blair (124) The rookie doesn’t carry the glitz of some of his peers, but a T6 at the Sony Open and a T11 at the Farmers Insurance Open made plenty of noise.
77 Jerry Kelly (71) Kept a fairly light schedule early in 2015 but did manage a T6 at the Sony Open.
78 Kevin Chappell (73) Two top 30s and two missed cuts to kick off the 2015 portion of his schedule.
79 Andrew Svoboda (78) Made four consecutive cuts, but didn’t grab a top 15 in that span.
80 George McNeill (79) Look alive folks. He returns to his home state where he has played very well in the past. The Florida Swing (and Puerto Rico) mark his time to shine.
81 Cameron Tringale (62) Feels like he is in the process of taking a half-step backwards.
82 Angel Cabrera (Next 10) Flirted with contention with a T15 at the Waste Management Phoenix Open and a T30 with a final-round 76 at the Northern Trust Open. That bodes well for the Masters.
83 Jason Bohn (72) It’s not worth overthinking. This is the right range for the veteran.
84 Freddie Jacobson (85) The Swede is a dark horse at PGA National this week, and has done nothing to show that he won’t ultimately end up around this spot.
85 Ian Poulter (94) The Brit tied for 19th at Torrey Pines, which was probably better than anticipated. He’s no longer an elite option.
86 Alex Prugh (NR) Showed some moxie with a T5-T10-T30 run in his last three starts and is well on the way to retaining his card.
87 Spencer Levin (Next 10) A T11 at the Farmers was the highlight of an otherwise unremarkable West Coast Swing, but paired nicely with a T10 in Las Vegas early in the 2014-15 season.
88 Boo Weekley (88) No surprise that he is who we thought he was at this stage in his career. Keep an eye on him as he plays the Bermuda greens in Florida.
89 Hudson Swafford (84) The Florida Swing should suit his game nicely. Combination of Bermuda greens and long and tight courses plays to his strengths.
90 Charlie Beljan (NR) Similar to Scott Stallings, now that Beljan has a big week with a third in the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am under his belt, he just needs one or two more.
91 Blayne Barber (110) It’s starting to sound like a broken record, but keep an eye on this Southern boy on the Florida Swing.
92 Bryce Molder (121) Made two of his last three cuts, but hasn’t done anything to seriously back up his T3 at the Frys.com Open to start the year.
93 Charles Howell III (34) This is a big fade, but the fact is he missed out on taking advantage of the West Coast Swing, which has historically been the best part of his schedule.
94 Aaron Baddeley (109) A T17 at the Waste Management Phoenix Open represents his best finish of the season.
95 Brian Stuard (99) It was looking bleak for him when he didn’t perform at Mayakoba and the Sony Open, but he responded with four consecutive paydays highlighted by a T10 at TPC Scottsdale just when the chips were down.
96 Adam Hadwin (92) First-timer on TOUR is still figuring it out, but showing enough promise to make retaining his card seem well within the range of possibility.
97 Luke Donald (66) He might not be as lost as Tiger Woods, but the Englishman is clearly stuck in between the messages of two different swing coaches and not playing well.
98 David Toms (119) Plugging along by making two of his three cuts since we last checked in.
99 Seung-yul Noh (101) Hasn’t done anything to change our minds for better or for worse.
100 Victor Dubuisson (100) Another Euro to watch closely over the next few weeks. Should he show signs of life, it is worth a buy.
101 Jhonattan Vegas (82) Still hasn’t figure out how to harness his raw tools with any consistency.
102 Chris Stroud (42) One of the bigger disappointments of the 2014-15 season without a known explanation to date.
103 Brian Harman (107) So far, he’s justified the fade from the beginning of the season.
104 Jamie Donaldson (115) See Victor Dubuisson.
105 Camilo Villegas (95) Made six of eight cuts with no top-25 finishes. That pretty much says it all.
106 Rory Sabbatini (123) Recorded three consecutive top-25 finishes before missing back-to-back cuts to end the West Coast Swing.
107 Francesco Molinari (117) Showed nicely with a T10 in the Humana Challenge and a T22 at TPC Scottsdale, but lots of work left to do.
108 Billy Hurley III (108) Two out of five with nothing better than a T45 on the West Coast Swing, but that could change this week. He finished fifth at The Honda Classic last year.
109 Colt Knost (NR) A T17-T10-T17 run at the Sony Open, Humana Challenge and Waste Management Phoenix Open could lead to the best season of his career.
110 Kyle Reifers (NR) Never kept a card in the past, but that may change this time around. Currently 63rd in the FedExCup standings and fresh off a T8 at the Northern Trust Open.
111 K.J. Choi (105) Similar to Stewart Cink last year, he’s made all of his cuts but that’s about it.
112 Steve Stricker (112) Kind of hard to change opinions of him until he actually plays.
113 Louis Oosthuizen (113) We need to see the South African in action, as he hasn’t been to the U.S. yet this season. Only start was a T14 in the WGC-HSBC Champions. Withdrew from The Honda Classic just before the opening round, citing neck spasms.
114 Matt Every (57) This is quickly turning into a hangover season.
115 Ken Duke (104) Showed some flashes in the Fall Series, but didn’t back it up on the West Coast Swing.
116 Nicholas Thompson (106) Should be the right time for the native Floridian to make a move.
117 S.J. Park (NR) One week does not a season make, but a T2 (Humana) does go a long way.
118 Michael Putnam (Next 10) Made five out of six cuts, with two top 25s, on the West Coast Swing. Now just needs to hang on.
119 Jonas Blixt (91) It’s puzzling that he hasn’t done more on the PGA TOUR, but remains content to just have a few big weeks every year.
120 Morgan Hoffmann (97) We know what he can do after the 2014 FedExCup Playoffs, but he’s just not getting it done. Reminiscent of Roberto Castro last year.
121 Jeff Overton (90) It’s almost like he’s found a comfort level with just being average, making cuts and keeping his card.
122 Erik Compton (89) One would have to think the next month is the perfect time for the Florida native to turn his slumping game around.
123 Scott Langley (125) A T22 in the Northern Trust Open was his second-best finish of the season.
124 Lucas Glover (NR) Striking the ball at an almost elite level, but putting like a 10 handicap. Felt the juices of contention at Torrey Pines and the Florida courses have fit his eye on the past.
125 Stewart Cink (120) Not quite as good as last year yet, but still within striking distance of the top 125 at 131st in the FedExCup standings.
Next 10 (Previous Rank): Scott Brown (70), David Lingmerth (87), Steve Wheatcroft (NR), Derek Fathauer (93), Max Homa (NR), Andrew Putnam (122), Vaughn Taylor (NR), Ryo Ishikawa (118), Mark Wilson (Next 10), and Scott Pinckney (NR).
Falling out (Previous Rank): Tiger Woods (16), Kevin Kisner (53), Kevin Stadler (68), Brice Garnett (102), Carl Pettersson (103), Fabian Gomez (111), Ernie Els (114), Luke Guthrie (116), Robert Garrigus (Next 10), Ricky Barnes (Next 10), Andres Romero (Next 10), Ben Crane (Next 10) and John Huh (Next 10).
We will return with the next edition following the Masters. Until then, best of luck to all!
