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It appeared that Streelman's 16-year streak of staying inside the top-125 may be coming to an end until he finished T-2 at the 3M Open at the end of July. It masked what was otherwise his worst season in a decade with only five top-25s. He's taken a step backward in every aspect of the game, although it's a testament to his experience that he's still on Tour at age 45. With that said, he missed the cut in his final three events this past fall, and he'll be extremely reliant on top heavy finishes to maintan his streak for another year.
Streelman nearly found his first win since 2014 at the alternate event Barbasol Championship but ultimately came up one short for his only top-5 of the season. The Tour veteran is capable of more than his results would suggest considering he was 48th in strokes-gained tee-to-green. He's also one of the most accurate drivers, ranking sixth in driving accuracy last season. Streelman has a few hot courses he should capitalize on better in 2022-23.
Streelman missed his share of cuts early in the season, but as the summer months wained on he started to consistently be in the top 25. His ball-striking was where he made his money, ranking top-40 on tour in SG: approach, SG: tee-to-green and GIR percentage. At 42, however, it is just unclear how much more he has in the tank.
Streelman is a frustrating player because it's hard to know what you are going to get. Last season he posted three finishes inside the top-four, but also missed 10 cuts. He ranked 114th in SG: Putting and 49th in SG: Tee-to-green last season. More consistency out of the 41-year-old and he might warrant some interest.
There was a point, after the 2013 season, that it looked like Streelman was about to take his game to the next level, but after posting an earnings number of over $3 million that season, he's failed to take the next step. His game hasn't really fallen-off in the years since, but he has settled-in to a pocket between $1.3 and $1.6 million in earnings. Streelman turned 40 last season and it's likely that his best days are being him. An imminent drop-off isn't likely, but neither is a big bump.
Streelman has been a good to very good player since he joined the PGA Tour in 2008, but outside of a two-year span a handful of years ago, he's never been able to find that extra gear. Streelman picked-up his first PGA Tour win in 2013 and he captured his second a year later. Since then however, he's finished no better than 61st on the FedEx points list. Streelman will turn 40 this season and his window to become elite has passed him by. He'll likely remain a productive golfer for the next few seasons, but his upside, especially at this price, is all but gone.
There was a moment in 2013, where it looked like Streelman might take off and become a major player on the PGA Tour and when he picked up his second PGA Tour win in 2014, he solidified his status as a middle-tier guy on the PGA Tour, but he's regressed in each of his past three seasons. The biggest issue for Streelman in the past three seasons has been his consistency. Streelman has posted a couple top-3s in the past three seasons, but he's only recorded six top 10s, or two per season. Even in 2014, when he last won, he only could manage two top-10s. It's not all gloom and doom for Streelman, he's still earning around $1.5 million per season, but his prospects as a salary cap selection are all but nil until he shows some signs of the guy he was in 2013.
In nine years on the PGA Tour, Streelman has never lost his playing privileges. In-fact, he's never really come close. His worst finish on the FedEx list came in 2012 when he was 112th. He's been a reliable and consistent player, but rarely has he been an outstanding player. He did have a run in 2013 and 2014 where he won two events and collected over $5 million in earnings, but since then, his play has been just OK. The upside is certainly still there, but he hasn't cracked the $3 million mark since 2013, so the risk is too great at this price. In draft leagues, he should go in the 7th-round.
If not for one insanely hot stretch of golf in late-June, Streelman might have been struggling to save his card for the 2015 season. This insanely-hot stretch of golf wasn't over the course of weeks or even days, rather over a matter of hours. Streelman parlayed a blistering Sunday back-nine at the Travelers Championship into a victory and a check that would make up more than half of his earnings for the entire season. Okay, so you can't win an event by playing well over just nine holes, he played well all week, but you get the point. He didn't show much consistency last year and he'll need to do so this year to improve upon his 2014 numbers. He's certainly capable, but probably not worth the risk this season. In draft leagues he should go in the 4th or 5th round.
Streelman finally put it all together in 2013 and now that the pressure is off, great things could be in store. Streelman started his career on a high-note, but his game fell off in the following years. He's seemingly adjusted to life on the PGA Tour now, which means he can focus on continually improving. He's got plenty of game, but he did set the bar pretty high last year. There are a lot of quality options in this range and as such, Streelman should probably go in the 25-30 range in drafts. In salary cap formats, he doesn't look like a good option -- bar too high.
A few years ago it looked like Streelman was ready to take his game to the next level, but he's to find that extra gear to take him there. Streelman played well early in the season last year, but he was unable to sustain that success. Streelman earned two top-15s in the second-half of the season, but both of those came against weaker fields. He does have some upside, we witnessed it a few years ago when he earned over $1.3 million a rookie, but we've rarely seen that form since. Streelman could breakout at anytime, but he's probably not worth the time this year. In draft leagues he's worth a look late.
Streelman has earned more than $1 million in each season of his four seasons on the PGA Tour, but his growth has been stagnant the last couple seasons. Streelman regressed from a fine rookie season in 2008, albeit slightly, and he did the same thing after his career-best 2010 season. Whatever the reason behind the fluctuating play, it's only a matter of time before he finds the consistency and challenges for a spot in the Top 50.
Streelman has yet to find that extra gear to send him to the next level on the PGA TOUR, but it seems only a matter of time before he discovers it. Streelman showed some positive signs toward the end of his rookie season in 2008, but his play fell in 2009. He rebounded well in 2010, but there's likely more than what we have seen. Streelman could be one of the breakout players this season. If nothing else, he plays a ton of events, so he'll have plenty of opportunities. Before last season, Streelman was a strong ball-striker, but struggled on the green. A complete reversal occurred last season as his putting improved while his ball striking suffered. Of course, the two are measures are related in that better ball striking can lead to more putts per green.
It's hard to call $1 million in earnings a setback, but considering the trajectory of Streelman's career at the end of his rookie season of 2008, it's a proper classification. Streelman has the game of a potential top-30 player, which is why his slump last season was so surprising. Though Streelman struggled last season and dropped to 204th in the rankings, expect him to bounce back this year and approach a top-30 ranking by season's end.
Streelman made the cut in 17 out of his final 18 events in 2008. He mixed in four top-10s along the way also. Streelman is a good under the radar guy heading into this season.