The calendar year of 2017 has come to a close. It was a spectacular year in golf. There were first-time major winners, 3-irons from driving ranges, and a rookie won the Tour Championship to end the year. After the PGA tour schedule concluded, we had a President’s Cup and an exciting Tiger Woods return. The best golfers in the world treated us a well.
10 Players to Watch on the 2018 PGA Tour
Now it’s time to turn our attention to 2018. The Sentry Tournament of Champions in Hawaii is less than a week away. In preparation for a star-studded field and another year of golf, let’s take a look at the top 10 players to watch as we enter the new year. This list was compiled by bringing potential, last years’ results and simply intrigue into consideration.
I tried to add some variety to the list, rather than just put the best players according to the Official World Golf Rankings.
10. Brandt Snedeker
Brandt Snedeker had a less than stellar 2017 overall. He had a solid start to the season highlighted by a fourth-place finish at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. In June, Snedeker finished in the top-10 at the US Open and then disappeared for the rest of the year. The last tournament he played in the 2016-2017 season was the Travelers Championship in the last week of June. The following six months were plagued by an injury to his sternum. He attempted to return at the WGC Bridgestone but withdrew before the event began. After months of rehabbing and a new diet that, to Snedeker’s dismay, cut french fries out of his diet, he made a start at the RSM Classic. While never in contention, the Vanderbilt Commodore posted two rounds in the sixties and finished 8-under.
Snedeker returns to the PGA tour in 2018 seemingly healthy. The 2012 FedEx Cup champion has a new swing to alleviate the pressure on his chest and is still very optimistic about playing his best golf in the future. Snedeker very rarely beats himself on the course and having him on the course during majors and other big events makes the sport better. It is good to have him back on the course.
9. Patrick Cantlay
Patrick Cantlay is a stud, most people just don’t realize it. For several years, the 25-year-old was kept away from the game due to back injuries. He’s won basically every collegiate golf award one can win including the Haskins Award, awarded to the best collegiate golfer every year, and the Jack Nicklaus Award. In 2017, Cantlay was able to get some consistency on the health side of things. The result was three top-10 finishes and four straight top-20 finishes in the FedEx Cup playoffs. To end the year, Cantlay won the Shriners Hospital for Children Open and sits at fifth in the FedEx Cup rankings headed into the new year. Cantlay’s strong finish to the 2017 calendar year gives him some momentum as he heads into his second year of health and consistency on the PGA Tour.
8. Tiger Woods
Some might be tempted to put Tiger Woods first on the list. Yes, he is the most intriguing story, and yes he will have the most eyes on him everytime he steps on the course. But he is placed here eighth out of respect for the other players on the PGA Tour who are really playing well. But undoubtedly, you have to watch for the Big Cat in 2018. Woods had moments of brilliance at the Hero World Challenge (like 260-yard 2-irons landing like wedges on the green) and heads into 2018 with what looks to be a healthy body. He’s hinted at playing a full schedule. He’s parted ways with his swing coach and he still hasn’t told anybody what events he will play in 2018. The storylines write themselves when Tiger steps on the course.
7. Xander Schauffle
It’s funny, most people still won’t know who this guy is in 2018. This time last year no one knew who he was. Then he won the Greenbriar, then he made it to the Tour Championship at East Lake, and then he won the Tour Championship at East Lake. Schauffle, in a way, spoiled Justin Thomas‘ moment in the sun beating him by one shot. A rookie last year, Schauffle came out of nowhere late in the season. The San Diego State alum has all the pieces to win on the PGA Tour, with another year of experience, don’t be surprised to see Schauffle’s name near the top of leaderboards with some consistency. At the end of the year, don’t be surprised if Jim Furyk calls on him for one of his captain’s picks for the 2018 Ryder Cup in France.
6. Rickie Fowler
I’ve tried to add some variety, but it will be pretty mainstream with the remaining players to watch, starting with the Rickie Fowler. Fowler was knocking on the door all season. A couple tournaments slipped through his hands late in the season. To end the year he had a second place finish at the OHL Classic and won the Hero World Challenge. One of these days Fowler is going to win a major. In fact, I’ll put money on that day coming in the calendar year of 2018. He’s been close in majors before, he’s playing some of the best golf in the world right now. His persona alone gets him on this list, but his level of play recently makes it impossible to overlook him. Watch out for Rickie Fowler.
5. Rory McIlroy
Rory McIlroy was close several times last year. By the end of the Masters, he had four top-10s in five starts on tour. He even had top-5s as late at the Open Championship. The end of the year was not kind to McIlroy, his best playoff finish was a T34 and after a missed cut and a T58 he missed out on the Tour Championship. But here’s the thing, McIroy’s best is unmatched by just about everybody. When he is at the top of his game, I would take him over basically everyone else’s best. He’s one of the best drivers of the golf ball ever and when he gets the putter rolling like it did in the 2016 playoffs, he is virtually unbeatable. You should always be watching McIlroy, but it’s been a while since we’ve seen a healthy McIlroy. Finally healthy, he chases that final leg of the career grand slam.
4. Dustin Johnson
Of course, the world No. 1 has to be on this list. Similar to McIlroy, Johnson is just so fun to watch when he is at the top of his game. After winning the Dell Technologies to kick off the 2017 playoffs, Dustin Johnson came up short again in the FedEx Cup playoffs for the second year. There’s no reason to suggest he won’t be near the top again and fighting for the FedEx Cup for a third straight year. Johnson has to be on this list, he’s earned that as the No. 1 golfer in the world.
3. Justin Rose
This one might surprise you, but the Englishman is one of the hottest golfers in the world right now. After a mundane 2016-2017 season on the PGA Tour, Justin Rose has won twice late in 2017. He started with a win at the WGC-HSBC Champions in China and followed that up with another win at the Turkish Airlines Open. On top of his recent success, Justin has some unfinished business with the first full week in April. Rose has been close at the Masters twice in the past three years coming runner-up to Jordan Spieth’s blowout win in 2015 and losing to Sergio Garcia in a playoff in 2017.
2. Jordan Spieth
Spieth has been better than everybody else since 2015. 11 wins, three majors, one FedEx Cup. He leads the talented group of 2011 graduates who are taking the world by storm. He’s got the clutch gene under pressure that not everyone has, and he has the game to put him in contention pretty much every week. He’s taking his second stab at the grand slam in 2018 needing only the PGA Championship to win all four majors, and he’s only 24. His budding rivalry with his buddy Justin Thomas is a treat and hopefully is a staple on the PGA tour for decades to come.
1. Justin Thomas
Who better to watch for than the reigning FedEx Cup champion? Thomas had one of the greatest years ever for a golfer under the age of 25. He won five times, captured his first major, and won the FedEx Cup. He was one of the most spectacular individual performers in all of sports in 2017 and doesn’t look to be slowing down anytime soon. Now the question is how much better is he going to get? Definitely an intriguing player that will be fun to watch again in 2018.
It’s going to be a great year in the world of golf. Give me everything we got last year and add a healthy Tiger Woods to the mix? Yes. Please. In the spirit of the PGA Commercials, “These guys are good.” So sit back, relax, and enjoy the show.
