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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 21: Andrew Putnam plays his shot from the second tee 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: Andrew Putnam plays his shot from the second tee 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) /

Andrew Putnam is beginning to establish himself on the PGA Tour. He lost out to veteran Matt Kuchar in their final group battle last week at the Sony Open, but he has plenty to be encouraged about his solo second finish. He was near the top of the field both in greens in regulation (75 percent) and strokes gained putting (2.724 average). This all came after he suffered a bee sting earlier in the week. Who said golfers aren’t tough?

“Yeah, I felt comfortable today. I had a great time out there,” Putnam said after the final round of the Sony. “I really enjoyed battling with Kuch. Felt look I hung in there pretty well and still played a great round. Tricky course. You can make a lot of bogeys. I think I just had that one bogey, so overall still really happy with how I did. Just know that I got to be a little more aggressive. It takes a lot to win on the PGA TOUR. Just didn’t quite have it towards the end.”

Putnam, 29, recorded his fourth straight worldwide top-30 going back to last fall. That streak included a T4 against an elite field at the WGC-HSBC Champions. He’s up to 19 straight rounds of par or better.

A journeyman up until last year, Putnam secured his card through 2019-20 by winning last summer’s modified stableford Barracuda Championship. He’s ascended the world top 100 thanks to consistency that saw him miss just four cuts in 2018. He’s made his last six PGA Tour cuts going back to July. Putnam made the cut (T59) at his first major as a pro at the PGA Championship.

Putnam, the younger brother of former PGA Tour pro, Michael, is a pretty good putter befitting of his name. He’s first on Tour early on this season in strokes gained and was 13th in that stat in his rookie campaign in 2014-15.

While just 100th on Tour last season, Putnam made up for it with his irons. He finished 39th in SG approaching the green as well as 47th around the green.

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