Stricker ranks #3 in world now- can he get to 2?

[golf_junkie27]

I picked Stricker to have a good season because he's back. I have followed him since he went on tour in 1990. He's had injury and health problems that set him back. I don't know how good he really is in the grand scheme. I am pretty sure this is how he got so high in the world rankings. He did what some "better" players wouldn't last year. He played in every FedEx playoff event and finished near the top in all of them. Winnings over the last three years: YearW$$$$$ Rank 20050 397,640 162 200601,811,811 34(Comeback player of the year) 200714,663,077 4 (Comeback player of the year AGAIN) That's a pretty positive trend.

Mike,

I am not going to dispute Stricker's season. My original point was not understanding the ranking system. I used Choi as an example because he had just as good a season, improved from 2006 and is ranked lower. Strick made 19 of 23 cuts. Choi made 21 out of 25. Strick won one event. Choi won two events. Strick had 9 top 10 finishes and finished in the top 25 fourteen times. Choi had 7 top 10 finishes and finished in the top 25 seventeen times. Strick won $4.6mm. Choic won $4.5mm. Each made significantly more than they did in 2006. Is there really a separation of six players between these two guys?

[golf_junkie27]

Mike

Additionally, I believe and many people do that Stricker should not have won Comeback Player of the Year, again, last year. Yes, he played in more events than the previous year and improved his top ten finishes by 2 and his top 25 finishes by 4. He won one event: one more than the previous year.

I hate to be repetitive but let's compare that to Choi. Choi played in the same amount of events as 2006. He improved his top ten finishes by 3, his top 25 finishes by 7. He won two events: one more than the previous year.

Who had the "greater" improvement? How is that judged? By increase in performances? Increases in money?

[mikelz]

Mike,

Heck, I don't know about that disparity of six. I don't understand everything about the rankings. Having said that, I sure can't explain it with any confidence. I don't know where Choi or Stricker started the season. We could look that up. I am pretty sure that where you win or do well counts for a lot. K.J. won here at the Memorial last year with a great fourth round. I thought that tournament had some prestige. Stricker clobbered the field in those FedEx playoffs. I guess those count more than regular tour events.

[darktone]

Strength of the field makes a difference. Here's a link to the Official World Golf Ranking. http://www.officialworldgolfranking....me/default.sps . Here's a sample of how things work- a comparrison between Stricker and Choi. The rankings use the two previous years and the points earned lose value as time goes by. I really think it's a pretty good system as it it gices more weight to recent events and stronger fields. Here's Strickers and Choi's charts
http://www.officialworldgolfranking....alPts=341.3513
http://www.officialworldgolfranking....alPts=290.2691
Choi is now ranked 7th and Stricker 3rd.

[mikelz]

Strength of the field makes a difference. Here's a link to the Official World Golf Ranking.

Thanks for all of the information. I looked at those last two links pretty hard. Looks like there is a heavy premium on the last four events.

[Cleveland Gunmetal]

I have my doubts about him overtaking Phil for #2. But whether he does or not this is an amazing feat for Stricker. Any questions about a drop off have already been answered.

Nobody is going to overtake, or even threaten Tiger so let's just forget about that. I still believe Phil is the only one who can truly challenge Tiger in a given tournament. He's the only other one with that kind of talent IMO. Like someone else said, I think Phil would have to be injured for someone to take #2 from him.