PGA Tour 2013/14: 10 to Watch

At the end of last year, PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem announced a series of structural changes. These included the abolition of Q-School and the incorporation of the ‘Fall Series’ into the regular season roster. Now, the PGA Tour season – comprised of 45 events – bridges two years. It might seem strange, especially with Henrik Stenson’s flawless victory at the Tour Championship still fresh in the memory, but the 2013/14 season is now underway. Below, we look at 10 lower-profile players who could feature prominently this campaign.

Gary Woodland

Gary Woodland struggled in his early top-tier professional career, but thrust himself into the limelight with a selection of superb performances in 2011. He lost to Jhonnatan Vegas in a play-off at the Bob Hope Classic and claimed a maiden victory at the Transitions Championship two months later. Those performances, coupled with his enormous power and latent natural talent, fuelled expectation levels, as did victory alongside Matt Kuchar at that year’s World Cup of Golf. Still, a series of injuries and loss of form saw him finish 134th on the PGA Tour money list in 2012, and he started 2013 is a similar vein of form. But he claimed the Reno-Tahoe Open in August and finished second at the Barclays, signifying his return to form. Now he’s regained his confidence, I’m expecting him to push on again this season.

Aaron Baddeley

Aaron Baddeley has been extremely disappointing since his victory in the 2011 Northern Trust Open, and, in truth, it’s been hard to account for a string of lacklustre performances over the last 18 months. But Baddeley is a skilled practitioner and a determined performer who will be desperate to right some recent wrongs and put his career back on the correct track. He showed glimpses of form at the Barclays and he’s been working hard in the off-season, so I think we’ll see a reinvigorated Baddeley in 2013/14.

Patrick Cantlay

Patrick Cantlay turned professional in 2012 after spending a record 55 weeks at the head of the World Amateur Golf Rankings. He played a handful of PGA Tour events in 2012 and 2013 with limited success, but notched a first professional victory in the Web.com Columbia Championship. He went on to finish 11th in the Web.com Tour Finals and earn his PGA Tour card for the 2013/14 PGA Tour season. Given Cantlay’s enormous talent, sterling amateur career and seamless transition to the professional ranks, I think he’ll make quite an impact in 2014.

Seung-yul Noh

I’ve been eulogizing over Seung-yul Noh for some time, based on his talent, temperament and wonderful golf swing. The Korean became the second-youngest winner on the European Tour in 2011 and earned a PGA Tour card for 2012 at the first time of asking.  He struggled last season, but showed class and composure in re-gaining his card at the Web.com Tour finals. He’s now fully accustomed to life on the PGA Tour, and that should translate to a strong showing this year.

Thorbjorn Olesen

The young Dane struggled with form at the back end of last season, which many have attributed to swing changes and whiplash sustained in a car crash ahead of the Shell Houston Open. Still, Olesen earned enough money as a non-PGA Tour member in 2013 to earn full playing privileges this season, and his performances in those starts suggest he possesses all the tools required to be a huge success in America. His shot the lowest final 54-hole score on debut at the Masters and finished sixth at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, two of the biggest events on the global golfing calendar.

Brendon de Jonge

The burly Zimbabwean has transformed himself into one of the most consistent performers on the PGA Tour in recent years, and now is the time for him to take the next step. He notched a career-best 26th-place finish in last season’s FedEx Cup and showed both aptitude and ability during an impressive debut in the Presidents Cup. The confidence he garnered from such strong performances in pressure-packed events will stand him in excellent stead going forward, and could be instrumental in converting De Jonge from a solid all-round player to a PGA Tour champion.

Camilo Villegas

There are many parallels between the respective careers of Gary Woodland and Camilo Villegas. The Columbian enjoyed a fruitful start to life on the PGA Tour, winning two big tournaments in 2008 to announce his arrival on the world stage. Since then, he’s spent a number of weeks inside the world’s top 10, but a slump in 2012 saw him loose his tour card for the following season. He bounced back in 2013, though, earning enough money in a limited number of starts to re-gain his card for 2013/14. I’m expecting him to build on that momentum this season, and return to the form that saw him reach number seven in the Official World Golf Ranking.

Ryo Ishikawa

Ryo Ishikawa earned a serious amount of money on the Japan Golf Tour in his late teens, but, despite a couple of glimpses, he’s been unable to transfer that a form across to the PGA Tour. He failed to take advantage of Special Temporary Membership last season and found himself playing for a card, but he dealt with the setback admirably. Much like Noh, he’s now had some time to get accustomed to life in America, and I think we’ll start to see his undoubted class this year.

Harris English

English made an adept start to life on the PGA Tour in 2012 and stepped it up last year, winning the FedEx St Jude Classic to register a maiden victory on the circuit. He’s a quality young player with a golf swing that’s been heavily praised by some of golf’s most influential characters, including Tom Watson. There is generally a surprise package who manages to force their way into the Ryder Cup team, and whilst some may justifiably argue English shouldn’t be given that label, I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see him representing the USA at Gleneagles in September 2014.

Graeme DeLaet

De Laet notched seven top 10s last season - including two top 3s during the FedEx Cup play-offs - and followed that with a sensational debut performance at the Presidents Cup. He boasts a quality all-round game, exceptional ball-striking skills, and, perhaps more importantly, the ability to play his best golf in the most pressure-packed situations. It’s been a slow rise to prominence, but I’m expecting big things from the Canadian in 2013/2014.

Photo Credit: TourProGolfClubs.com

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