What Top PGA Tour Players Must Improve to Win More in 2016

Here's a bold statement: The best players on the PGA Tour are statistically pretty good. If they weren't, well, it'd be tough to be the best. 

Never has that truth been more apparent as in these days of advanced statistics that allow for more meaningful comparisons, such as the "strokes gained" family of stats. 

For example, the top five players in strokes gained: total in 2014-2015 were Henrik Stenson, Bubba Watson, Jordan Spieth, Jason Day and Jim Furyk.

Even top players, however, have their weak areas. Here's a look at what the tour's top players need to improve. 

All stats via PGATour.com

Jordan Spieth

Scott Halleran/Getty Images

2014-2015 PGA Tour season: 25 starts, 21 cuts; 5 wins (two majors); 4 2nds; 15 top-10s

Strengths

• Strokes gained: tee-to-green: 1.51 (4)
• Strokes gained: total: 2.08 (3)
• Scoring average: 68.93 (1)
• Scrambling: 65.03% (4)

Weaknesses

• Driving distance: 291.8 (78)
• Approaches from 50-125: 18'9" (111)

No. 1 area for improvement: Jordan Spieth would benefit from a little more distance off the tee. Of course, increasing swing speed is a tricky prospect as it upsets the entire system of how far each club goes for a player. 

Rory McIlroy

Eric Risberg/Associated Press

2014-2015 PGA Tour season: 12 starts; 11 cuts made; 2 wins; 7 top-10 finishes

Strengths

• Greens in regulation: 71.03% (6)
• Strokes gained, tee-to-green: 1.85 (2) 

Weaknesses

• Strokes gained, putting: -.070 (126)
• Scrambling: 58.45% (108)

No. 1 area for improvement: Rory McIlroy was largely brilliant from tee to green in an injury-plagued season. His play on and around the greens suffered in the periods of layoff and jet-setting and need to be his focus areas. 

Jason Day

Harry How/Getty Images

2014-2015 PGA Tour season: 20 starts; 18 cuts made; 5 wins (1 major); 11 top-10 finishes

Strengths

• Driving distance: 313.7 (3)
• Greens in regulation: 70.83% (7)
• Strokes gained, total: 2.03 (4)

Weaknesses

• Driving accuracy: 55.94% (162)
• Approaches from 175-200 yards: 32'9" (102)

No. 1 area for improvement: Statistician Rich Hunt has identified the 175-200-yard approach shot as critical to success on tour. With that in mind, Day could stand to improve in this area.  

Bubba Watson

Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images

2014-2015 PGA Tour season: 19 starts; 17 cuts made; 2 wins; 3 2nds; 10 top-10s

Strengths

• Driving distance: 315.2 (2)
• Strokes gained, tee-to-green: 1.87 (1)
• Birdie average: 4.29 (4)

Weaknesses

• Sand-save percentage: 46.88% (130)
• Approaches from 50-125 yards: 20'9" (174)

No. 1 area for improvement: Overpowering courses from tee to green, Bubba Watson needs to do better work from the sand/around greens. 

Rickie Fowler

Lee Jin-man/Associated Press

2014-2015 PGA Tour season: 21 starts; 17 cuts made; 2 wins; 7 top-10s 

Strengths

• Strokes gained, total: 1.02 (15)
• Birdie average: 3.96 (17)
• Putting from 15-20': 25.22% (5)

Weaknesses

• Greens in regulation: 65.81% (106)
• Approaches from 175-200 yards: 34'5" (147) 

No. 1 area for improvement: Rickie Fowler pipes it off the tee, having become one of the better drivers on tour. His iron play into greens leaves something to be desired, however, as evidenced by his GIR percentage. 

Dustin Johnson

John Amis/Associated Press

2014-2015 PGA Tour season: 21 starts; 18 cuts made; 1 win; 11 top-10s 

Strengths

• Driving distance: 317.1 (1)
• Strokes gained, tee-to-green: 1.24 (9)
• Birdie average: 4.22 (5)

Weaknesses 

• Driving accuracy: 55.53% (165)
• Sand saves: 38.60% (178)
• Approaches from 125-150: 22'8" (108)
• Approaches from 150-175: 27'7" (101)

No. 1 area for improvement: DJ isn't much of an iron player. If he were even average, with his driving distance (and even his sub-standard putting), he'd be an elite player on tour. 

Brooks Koepka

Julio Cortez/Associated Press

2014-2015 PGA Tour season: 23 starts; 20 cuts; 1 win; 8 top-10 finishes

Strengths

• Driving distance: 308.2 (8)
• Strokes gained: total: 1.02 (15)
• Eagles (holes per): 72.9 (1)

Weaknesses

• Approaches from 50-75 yards: 17'8" (121)
• Approaches from 75-100 yards: 19'7" (158)
• Approaches from 100-125 yards: 20'8" (137)
• Approaches from 125-150 yards: 23'1" (125)
• Scrambling: 56.63% (143)

No. 1 area for improvement: A power player, Brooks Koepka struggles with his approach game inside of 150 yards. Hit some wedges, Brooks. 

Henrik Stenson

John Amis/Associated Press

2014-2015 PGA Tour season: 16 starts; 16 cuts made; 4 2nds; 8 top-10s

Strengths

• Greens in regulation: 73.52% (1)
• Strokes gained: total 2.21 (1)
• Total driving: 55 (1)

Weaknesses

• Approaches from 50-125 yards: 20'0" (151)
• Sand save percentage: 49.43% (107)

No. 1 area for improvement: One of the best ball-strikers on tour, Henrik Stenson struggles with his wedges. He ought to book a spot next to Koepka on the range for some work with his high-lofted clubs.