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THE NORTHERN TRUST 2019: Power ranking the top ten at Liberty National

By Brandon Raper

RIDGEWOOD, NJ - AUGUST 23: FedEx Cup signage is displayed on the 15th hole during the first round of The Northern Trust on August 23, 2018 at the Ridgewood Championship Course in Ridgewood, New Jersey. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)
RIDGEWOOD, NJ - AUGUST 23: FedEx Cup signage is displayed on the 15th hole during the first round of The Northern Trust on August 23, 2018 at the Ridgewood Championship Course in Ridgewood, New Jersey. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images) /
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Matt Kuchar THE NORTHERN TRUST FedEx Cup Power Ranking
MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE – JULY 26: Matt Kuchar watches his tee shot on the 16th hole during the second round of the World Golf Championship-FedEx St Jude Invitational on July 26, 2019 in Memphis, Tennessee. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images) /

Early this year, it looked like Matt Kuchar was going to go on an absolute tear, and although he’s got two wins in 2018-19, it somehow feels like he should have just a little bit more. Perhaps that’ll leave him a bit more in the tank for this stretch run through the FedEx Cup Playoffs.

Over the last two months, Kuchar’s best finish was a tie for fourth place at the RBC Canadian Open, which you may remember for Rory McIlroy’s Sunday 61 on the way to a seven-stroke victory. What you could have forgotten was that Kuch took a share of the lead into that final round, alongside Webb Simpson. He shot level par 70 that day, and while he’s had some solid rounds in his three starts since, he hasn’t been a real threat to win.

That all changes this week, however. Kuchar has had two solid yet unspectacular trips to Liberty National in the past, finishing T28 in 2009 and T19 in 2013, but his form this year is head and shoulders above where he was in those years. Ranked 23rd in driving accuracy (68.67%) and eighth in greens in regulation (70.63%). Comparatively, Kuch is “only” ranked 36th on TOUR in strokes gained putting. First world problems, right?

I know I’m oversimplifying here, but I’m also not going to go out of my way to make a crazy pick, either. Kuchar has been too steady for too long this year for me to suddenly lose faith over a couple of down weeks. He’ll bounce back soon enough, and he’s just a perfect fit for this course. I’m rolling with him and not looking back.

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