2023 Farmers Insurance Open: Top 10 Power Rankings at Torrey Pines
Taylor Montgomery is up to a career-best No. 52 in the Official World Golf Ranking and expects to be in the top 50 any week now. This time last year, he was No. 376 and playing on the Korn Ferry Tour.
He had narrowly missed out on a couple close calls to make it to the PGA Tour, but at least had the fortune of receiving a sponsor’s exemption into the 2022 Farmers Insurance Open.
Montgomery made good on it, finishing T-11th. It vaulted him up to No. 305 in the world and gave him the confidence to finish his KFT season strong. Montgomery never won on the minor league tour, but he was a top-20 machine just like he is after graduating to the big leagues.
In his T-11th, the UNLV alum overcame a pedestrian even-par 72 Thursday at the South course to go eight lower Friday on the North to vault up the leaderboard. He kept climbing on the weekend at the South with 71-69 to make a big payday in his second-ever PGA Tour start.
Montgomery also qualified for the 2021 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines’ South course. Although it kept him from playing on the KFT that week, in a year where he missed the regular season The Top 25 by one spot, it had to at least give him confidence making the cut and finishing T-57th against some of the best players in the world.
Fast forward to the 2022-23 PGA Tour season. The rookie has made all eight cuts and has finished top 15 in eight of nine events.
Montgomery posted his highest career finish in his season debut at the Fortinet Championship where he took third.
Last week at The American Express, he was in contention before settling for solo fifth after rounds of 64-69-65-66. A double bogey on the par-3 17th on Sunday was the dagger. He finished three shots off the pace.
Montgomery led the field in Palm Springs in greens in regulation (84.72%) and was third in strokes gained off the tee in two rounds at the PGA West Stadium course.
Strong ball striking stats paired with solid putting are a good mix. He’s seventh on the PGA Tour in SG putting per round (1.289). Montgomery’s also seventh in par-4 scoring (3.86).