PGA Tour Stats Review: The Barclays

The first event of the FedEx Cup Playoffs is here this week with The Barclays from Bethpage Black on Long Island. Here's our stats thread for this week:

Rory and His Putter

Rory McIlroy has been an utterly atrocious putter lately, ranking 96th in strokes gained-putting, 189th in 3-putt avoidance, 107th in putts per round, 131st in putts from 4-8 feet, 192nd from putts inside 10 feet and 180th on approach putt performance, which is a measure of how good your lag putting and overall speed is. Now he's trying out a mallet putter in search of a magic spark and hopes some video work will solve the issue. But until Rory improves, don't start him, folks.

Back at Bethpage

This event was last here in 2012 when Nick Watney was the winner. He won by three over Brandt Snedeker, one of the hotter players is coming into this week. Bethpage, as well all know, is a brute, so strokes gained-total, a stat measuring a golfer's complete game, will be key this week.

Those leaders in the field include:

Jason Day - averages 2.236 strokes gained on field per round
Dustin Johnson - 1.971
Adam Scott - 1.954
Phil Mickelson - 1.849
Rory McIlroy - 1.775
Jordan Spieth - 1.765
Rickie Fowler - 1.629
Matt Kuchar - 1.578

McIlroy we've covered – I just don't like him as a pick until I see the putter improve.
Day, DJ, Scott, Mickelson, Rory and Spieth are all coming off long layoffs – they haven't played since the PGA – and could be a tad rusty to start the week. I think Spieth needed a reboot, and this will be a good time for him to get his putter and irons back on track. I'd be wary of the other guys until we see what form they emerge with.

Meanwhile, Mickelson is beloved in this area and overdue for a victory in 2016, especially after how well he's played this summer. It's coming, folks. If you believe this is the week he can have a complete 72-hole tournament again with no one being hotter than he is on a course that's a grind, start him.

Kuchar, of course, shot the 63 in Rio to finish with the bronze and desperately wants to make the Ryder Cup on points. For the week in Rio he was third in strokes gained-approach to the green and 12th in strokes gained-putting. I wouldn't be surprised if he wins this week at Bethpage.

The Field

There's a couple names in this field I really like. The first is obviously Justin Rose, who looked so good on Sunday at the Olympics. (Henrik Stenson is a strong pick too, but I like Rose better.) He ranked fourth in both strokes gained-off the tee and approach to the green along with being 17th in strokes gained-putting. Nice combo.

Si Woo Kim, who won last week in Greensboro, really impressed me. The swing is textbook; he averaged 307 yards off the tee and ended the week ranked first in strokes gained-off the tee and second in strokes gained-approach to the green. If he can keep the momentum up from last week, watch out.

Ryder Cup

This is the last week to qualify for the Ryder Cup on points for the United States and there's a bunch of players on the outside looking in. One is Jim Furyk, who keeps shooting low scores. Bethpage may be too much for him, but he's a smart stats pick.

For someone who can make a bit of a statement, I will recommend Snedeker. As mentioned, he likes Bethpage and is on a nice run, with a T5 in Canada and a T3 at Wyndham in two of his last three starts. He ranked eighth in strokes gained-around the green and third in strokes gained-putting last week. Watch out for him this week.

Weather

The weather will be nice but a bit dangerous for the players as it will allow the Black Course to firm up, with sunny skies, temperatures near 90 and a bit of a breeze at times.