PGA Tour: The most dominant players of the West Coast Swing

PACIFIC PALISADES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 15: Justin Thomas waits to hit on the 12th hole fairway during the second round of the Genesis Open at Riviera Country Club on February 15, 2019 in Pacific Palisades, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
PACIFIC PALISADES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 15: Justin Thomas waits to hit on the 12th hole fairway during the second round of the Genesis Open at Riviera Country Club on February 15, 2019 in Pacific Palisades, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /
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Xander Schauffele poses with caddie Austin Kaiser and the trophy after winning the Sentry Tournament of Champions at the Plantation Course at Kapalua. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Xander Schauffele poses with caddie Austin Kaiser and the trophy after winning the Sentry Tournament of Champions at the Plantation Course at Kapalua. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /

The key to Xander Schauffele’s record was his come-from-behind victory at the Sentry TOC, the one premium tournament on the West Coast Swing. That was the one, you may recall, where he shot a flawless final round 62 to erase Gary Woodland’s five-stroke advantage.

His other three appearances all were solid, although in none of them did Schauffele actually threaten the eventual winners.

At the Farmers, he was a virtual model of consistency, with a 69 plus three rounds of 70 that brought him home at 279. That was good for a tie for 24th.

One week later at the Waste Management, he shot 274 and tied for 10th. This week at the Genesis, his 278 brought him home in a tie for 15th with nine other players, among them Tiger Woods, Bubba Watson, Tony Finau and Bryson deChambeau.

In composite, that doesn’t initially sound like a dominant resume. What must be kept in mind is that winning the Swing’s most important event – the TOC – counts heavily. The other thing in Schauffele’s statistical favor is that he consistently beat the four-round field average by around one-half a standard deviation or more. In this ultra-competitive tour environment, the player capable of delivering that sort of week-in performance is rare indeed.