Farmers Insurance Open: Power ranking the top 10 at Torrey Pines

SAN DIEGO, CA - JANUARY 29: Alex Noren of Sweden walks up the fairway during the sixth playoff on the 18th hole during the final round of the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines South on January 29, 2018 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Donald Miralle/Getty Images) /

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SAN DIEGO, CA – JANUARY 25: Patrick Cantlay plays his shot from the 12th tee during the first round of the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines North on January 25, 2018 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Donald Miralle/Getty Images) /

This week’s top ten is filled with former Farmers Insurance Open winners or guys who have at least gotten close multiple times. Patrick Cantlay isn’t one of them – yet.

He missed the cut (as a 20-year-old) in 2013 and finished T51 last year.

I’m of the accord that if he gets some more reps around Torrey Pines, the Long Beach native will start to figure things out.

He continued a solid 2018 calendar year with some good play to open this year.

In his first start since a top five effort at the Hero World Challenge, Cantlay posted T9 last week at the Desert Classic where he was in the mix going into Sunday.

In 2018, he had eight top-10s including a runner-up at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. With eight more top-30s and only two missed cuts, he’s a player that can fare well on different types of courses.

Last season on the PGA Tour, Cantlay was 10th in strokes gained off the tee, 19th in strokes gained approach and 25th from 175-200 yards. His short game was above average, but the putter let him down (153rd). He’ll never be Steve Stricker out there, but I think Cantlay finishing 69th in that stat in 2016-17 is closer to where he’ll be in his career than 153rd.

Plus, Cantlay should have plenty of experience on poa. In an event like this, every small edge helps.

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