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The Desert Classic: Power ranking the top 10 golfers at PGA West

By Mike Randleman

LA QUINTA, CA - JANUARY 21: The group of Andrew Landry, Austin Cook and Martin Piller walk up the fairway during the final round of the CareerBuilder Challenge at the TPC Stadium Course at PGA West on January 21, 2018 in La Quinta, California. (Photo by Robert Laberge/Getty Images)
LA QUINTA, CA - JANUARY 21: The group of Andrew Landry, Austin Cook and Martin Piller walk up the fairway during the final round of the CareerBuilder Challenge at the TPC Stadium Course at PGA West on January 21, 2018 in La Quinta, California. (Photo by Robert Laberge/Getty Images) /
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LA QUINTA, CA – JANUARY 23: Justin Rose of England hits his tee shot on the ninth hole on the Nicklaus Private course at PGA West during the third round of the Bob Hope Classic on January 23, 2010 in La Quinta, California. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)
LA QUINTA, CA – JANUARY 23: Justin Rose of England hits his tee shot on the ninth hole on the Nicklaus Private course at PGA West during the third round of the Bob Hope Classic on January 23, 2010 in La Quinta, California. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images) /

Justin Rose makes his way to the Desert Classic for the first time in eight years. That could be 28 years and I think I’d still have Rose awfully high in these rankings.

Rose has played well in his four starts at PGA West from 2005-2010 when he ticked off a T29, T10 and third. He may have some bad memories, though, as he squandered the 72-hole lead (back when it was a 90-hole event) in 2007 en route to third and then missed the cut in 2010.

The Englishman is soon approaching 40, but he’s gotten better with age. He was winless on the PGA Tour the last time he competed in the Desert Classic. Now, he’s a nine-time Tour winner, a major champion and world No. 1.

His consistency makes him valuable week in and week out for fantasy owners, regardless of the course.

Rose hasn’t competed in 2019 but isn’t too far removed from competitive reps when he finished T17 at the Indonesian Masters in mid-December. That snapped a streak of seven top-10s in a row to close out 2018.

His year included a win at Colonial as well as the Turkish Airlines Challenge against a solid field as part of the European Tour’s Final Series.

Rose missed just one cut all year (which preceded his streak to end the year) and piled up three runner-ups to go with his wins as well as 10 more top-10s.

Strokes gained stats from the 2017-18 season rank him 21st or better in every main category.

One major aspect to keep an eye on this week: the Desert Classic will be Rose’s PGA TOUR debut under his new equipment deal with Honma. We’ll have to pay close attention to how the new sticks work with Rose’s already elite game.

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