Two Canadians In Top 10 Rookies To Watch On PGA Tour

information courtesy GolfWeek.com

Golfweek.com staff writer Sean Martin has compiled a list of what he considers his "Top 10 rookies among the 18 that earned cards through Q-School or the Nationwide Tour."

As Martin points out, "Unfortunately, the harsh reality is that the majority of these players won't keep their PGA Tour card (since 1990, only 39% of Nationwide Tour grads and 30% of Q-School grads have been able to keep a card).

But some will also emerge as new stars on the PGA Tour."


Here's the ones Martin says to keep an eye on:




Top 10 Rookies To Watch On The PGA Tour In 2010

1.) Rickie Fowler

Official World Golf Ranking: 247
Golfweek/Sagarin Performance Index: N/R (insufficient events)
Age: 21
Residence: Las Vegas

How he got his card: T-15 at Q-School

The skinny: If you’re reading this, you already know about Fowler’s potential. Fowler, the former top-ranked amateur in the world, made it through Q-School just three months after turning pro after his second Walker Cup appearance. He earned almost $600,000 in three PGA Tour events, losing a playoff at the Frys.com Open. He also lost a playoff at the Nationwide Children’s Invitational. There’s no reason to think he can’t keep it up.


2.) Derek Lamely

Official World Golf Ranking: 207
Golfweek/Sagarin Performance Index: 206
Age: 29
Residence: Fort Myers, Fla.

How he got his card: 4th on Nationwide Tour money list

The skinny: Lamely will surprise a lot of people in 2010. The long hitter (306.2 average in ’09) has quietly worked his way through the pro ranks after playing college golf at two tiny schools, McNeese State and Florida Gulf Coast.

Lamely, a Nationwide Tour rookie last year, earned his first PGA Tour card by finishing fourth on the money list, highlighted by a playoff victory over Fowler in the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Invitational.

Lamely was runner-up in two other events, and made 11 of his final 12 Nationwide Tour cuts. He earned valuable experience at last year’s Puerto Rico Open on the PGA Tour; he Monday qualified, then shared the first-round lead before tying for 13th.


3.) Graham DeLaet

Official World Golf Ranking: 212
Golfweek/Sagarin Performance Index: 190
Age: 27 (turns 28 on Jan. 22)
Residence: Boise, Idaho

How he got his card: T-8 at Q-School

The skinny: DeLaet spanned the globe in 2009 in search of places to play. He won on the Sunshine and Canadian tours, played St. Andrews in the Dunhill Links and went to China to compete in the World Cup, which ended three days before Q-School, where DeLaet finished eighth to earn his card.

DeLaet played in 16 events this year that offered Official World Golf Ranking points in 2009. He finished 12th or better in 10 of those events, including seven top-four finishes. He won the Canadian Tour Order of Merit last year and was that tour’s player of the year.

DeLaet is a big, strong player who hits it “stupid” long, said Tyler Aldridge, who also played at Boise State and was a PGA Tour member in ‘09.

“My wife (Ruby) will be happy about that,” DeLaet said about being able to play one Tour in 2010.

4.) Cameron Percy

Official World Golf Ranking: 182
Golfweek/Sagarin Performance Index: 65
Age: 34
Residence: Dingley, Victoria, Australia

How he got his card: 8th on Nationwide Tour money list

The skinny: Percy was the last player to play in a tournament alongside Tiger Woods before Woods’ car accident. But Percy is a fine player in his own right. He finished eighth on the Nationwide Tour money list despite not winning; he had 14 top 25s, including eight top 10s, in 22 starts.

Percy also had success this offseason in his native Australia, finishing in the top 10 at the Australian Masters (where he played with Woods) and Australian Open.

Percy was ninth on the Nationwide Tour in greens hit, and sixth in putts per GIR, a combination that helped him finish second on the tour in birdie average.

7.) Chris Baryla

Official World Golf Ranking: 217
Golfweek/Sagarin Performance Index: 121
Age: 27
Residence: El Paso, Texas

How he got his card: 19th on Nationwide Tour money list

The skinny: Baryla has made the cut in three of six career PGA Tour starts, including a tie for eighth at the ’09 Canadian Open. The former Texas-El Paso standout had five top-10s in 14 Nationwide Tour starts this year, including a victory at the Chattanooga Classic. He missed just one cut.

After shooting a second-round 96 at the Ford Wayne Gretzky Classic in June 2008, he didn’t touch a club for four months because of a back injury. He didn’t play another Nationwide Tour event until he Monday qualified for last May’s Rex Hospital Open. He tied for fourth in that event and 12th the following week to get back on that tour, and eventually earn a PGA Tour card.

For the complete list of top 10 rookies to watch on the PGA Tour in 2010 by Sean Martin please visit top 10 pga tour rookies to watch in 2010

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