PGA Tour +/- Splits: West Coast Swing vs “The Rest of the Year” Events

In this series, we will examine how current PGA Tour players have performed above or below their baseline on specific types of courses or in specific conditions. For this research, and in order to draw sharper contrasts in player skill, it will not be a golfer’s Strokes Gained (SG) Total baseline that will be analyzed. Instead, it will be their baseline in the opposite data point of what we are comparing it with so as to best identify those players with the greatest SG Total disparity between the two categories.

In today’s article, we are analyzing player performance on PGA Tour courses that are utilized for events during the “West Coast Swing” which takes place throughout the months of January and February each season. We will compare it to their performance on all other courses that are used for the remainder of the golf year. The only exception is that courses used to host major events have not been included to keep the data on the same level since there are also no majors played during the first two months of the year.

While some do not include the two events in Hawaii as part of the West Coast Swing, it is included in this data due to its connection with the beginning of a new year. Not only do these first two months of the year test each player’s ability in returning to tournament action after a long layoff, but once the action moves to California, there are a unique number of conditions that golfers must deal with. These include Poa annua green surfaces, cooler weather with heavier air, and events with multiple courses.

Also, whether it’s being comfortable on Poa or just being close to home and playing on familiar courses that they love, it is very evident that native Californians thrive on the West Coast Swing. Examples of native players who perform well above their baseline on these courses include Patrick Cantlay, Xander Schauffele, Collin Morikawa, Max Homa, Sahith Theegala, and Maverick McNealy. Said Cantlay before playing at Pebble Beach last year, “I love California golf. I definitely feel at home. Whenever I’m on Poa annua greens at a course like Pebble Beach, it feels like I’ve played courses like that my whole life.”

Max Homa, who won the Genesis Open a couple of years ago said, “Riviera is where I started to fall in love with golf. I’m from California. I’m used to putting on Poa annua. Whenever I come here, it’s as easy as it gets.” Some unique desert-style courses also come into play at the PGA West Stadium course and at TPC Scottsdale.

Overall, the West Coast Swing is definitely a unique vibe compared to the rest of the PGA Tour schedule and certain players tend to perform well during this time period each year. Here are the best and worst performers since 2018 which covers seven events each year in total. Those charts will be followed by the best and worst golfers above or below their “Rest of the Year” (March through November) baseline.

Best SG: AVG on the West Coast Swing

Worst SG: AVG on the West Coast Swing

Best +/- SG: AVG on the West Coast Swing

Worst +/- SG: AVG on the West Coast Swing