2011 PGA Tour: Ranking the Tournaments from Easiest to Toughest

With the regular season behind us, I decided to look back and see how difficult each tournament proved to be.  Even though the majors are not hosted by the PGA Tour, they were included.  I did not include the tournaments played concurrently with WGC events or The British Open.

The ranking was done by comparing the tournament scoring average in relation to par.  For example, the average score at the Masters was 72.57.  The course is a par 72 so the differential is +0.57.  The ranking was strictly based upon this formula.

There are many variables that can affect the scoring average at a tournament.  The field, the cut procedure and using multiple courses are a few.  I make note of the tournaments in which there is an obvious factor that affects the scoring average.  

The rankings are not adjusted because ultimately it is impossible to quantify such factors with complete accuracy.  For example, the WGC tournaments have no cut.  I could try to factor in the effect of a cut by finding the average difference of strokes between the first two rounds compared to the final 36 holes in all events with a cut.  The problem is that the score would become a prediction rather than being based solely on actual play.   

Here are all of the stroke play tournaments ranked from easiest to hardest. 

32. Hyundai Tournament of Champions

Date: January 6-9

Location: Kapalua, Hawaii

Course: The Plantation Course

Yardage: 7411

Par: 73

Average Score: 70.09

Differential: -2.91 

Winner: Jonathan Byrd

The seasons first event was also its easiest.  Jonathan Byrd finished with a 24 under par total of 268.  He defeated Robert Garrigus in a playoff.

31. Bob Hope Classic

Date: January 19-23

Location: La Quinta, California

Courses: Palmer and Nicklaus Courses at PGA West, La Quinta CC and Silver Rock

Yardages: Palmer, 6,930.  Nicklaus, 6,924.  La Quinta CC, 7,060. Silver Rock, 7,403

Par: All four courses are par 72

Average Score: 69.47

Differential: -2.53

Winner: Jhonattan Vegas, 27 under-par total of 333

Vegas defeated Bill Haas and Gary Woodland in a playoff.  The Pro-Am event was 5 rounds, with the Palmer course being used twice.  The cut came after four rounds. 

30. Waste Management Open

Date: February 3-6. 

Location: Scottsdale, Arizona

Course: TPC Scottsdale

Yardage: 7,216

Par: 71

Average Score: 69.52

Differential: -1.48

Winner: Mark Wilson with an 18 under-par total of 266

Wilson won his second event of the season, beating Jason Duffner in a playoff.

29. Travelers Championship

Date: June 23-26

Location: Cromwell, Connecticut

Course: TPC River Highlands

Yardage: 6,844

Par: 70

Average Score: 68.57

Differential: -1.43

Winner: Frederic Jacobsen with a 20 under-par total of 260

28. John Deere Classic

Date: July 7-10

Location: Silvis, Illinois

Course: TPC Deere Run

Yardage: 7,257

Par: 71

Average Score: 69.61

Differential: -1.39

Winner: Steve Stricker with a 22 under-par total of 262

27. Wyndham Championship

Date: August 18-21

Location: Greensboro, North Carolina

Course: Sedgefield CC

Yardage: 7130

Par: 70

Average Score: 68.79

Differential: -1.21

Winner: Webb Simpson with an 18 under par total of 262

26. WGC Cadillac Championship

Date: March 10-13

Location: Doral, Florida

Course: TPC Blue Monster

Yardage: 7,266 

Par: 72

Average Score: 71.48

Differential: -0.52

Winner: Nick Watney with a 16 under par total of 262

The field only featured 66 players and had no cut.  

25. Sony Open

Date: January 13-16

Location: Honolulu, Hawaii

Course: Waialae CC 

Yardage: 7,068

Par: 70

Average Score: 69.5

Differential: -0.50

Winner: Mark Wilson with a 16 under par total of 264

24. Shell Houston Open

Date: March 31 - April 3

Location: Humble, Texas

Course: Redstone Golf Club

Yardage: 7,457

Par: 72

Average Score: 71.74

Differential: -0.26

Winner: Phil Mickelson with a 20 under-par total of 268

23. Transitions Championship

Date: March 17-20

Location: Palm Harbor, Florida

Course: Innisbrook Resort-Copperhead

Yardage: 7,340

Par: 71

Average Score: 70.82

Differential: -0.18

Winner: Gary Woodland with a 15 under-par total of 269

22. Wells Fargo Championship

Date: May 5-8

Location: Charlotte, North Carolina

Course: Quail Hollow Club

Yardage: 7,422

Par: 72

Average Score: 71.95

Differential: -0.05

Winner: Lucas Glover with a 15 under-par total of 273

Glover defeated Jonathan Byrd in a playoff to win.

21. The PLAYERS Championship

Date: May 12-15

Location: Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida

Course: TPC Sawgrass

Yardage: 7,215

Par: 72

Average Score: 72

Differential: 0

Winner: K.J Choi with a 13 under-par total of 275

The PGA Tour could not have been too happy about its signature event.  Tiger Woods played like a weekend golfer and withdrew after five holes.  The tournament proved to be a rather easy event on the calendar.  Choi defeated David Toms in a playoff.

20. Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial

Date: May 19-22

Location: Fort Worth, Texas

Course: Colonial Country Club

Yardage: 7,204

Par: 70

Average Score: 70.08

Differential: +0.08

Winner: David Toms with a 15 under-par total of 265

Scoring got much higher as windy conditions moved in on the weekend.  Toms win came after losing in a playoff the previous week.

19. The Heritage

Date: April 21-24

Location: Hilton Head, South Carolina

Course: Harbour Town Golf Links

Yardage: 6,943

Par: 71

Average Score: 71.09

Differential: +0.09

Winner: Brandt Snedeker with a 12 under par total of 272

Snedeker defeated Luke Donald, the worlds top ranked player, in a playoff.

18. Zurich Classic of New Orleans

Date: April 28 - May 1

Location: Avondale, Louisiana

Course: TPC Avondale

Yardage: 7,341

Par: 72

Average Score: 72.11

Differential: +0.11

Winner: Bubba Watson with a 15 under-par total of 273

Watson defeated Webb Simpson in a playoff.

17. The Memorial by Nationwide Insurance

Date: June 2-5

Location: Dublin, Ohio

Course: Muirfield Village GC

Yardage: 7,265

Par: 72

Average Score: 72.13

Differential: +0.13

Winner: Steve Stricker with a 16 under-par total of 272

16. WGC Bridgestone Invitational

Date: August 4-7

Location: Akron, Ohio

Course: Firestone CC

Yardage: 7,400

Par: 70

Average Score: 70.17

Differential: +0.17

Winner: Adam Scott with a 17 under-par total of 263.

Another WGC event that featured a small field and no cut.  Scott won with Tiger Woods former caddie, Steve Williams, on the bag.  It was Woods' first tournament since May.

15. Farmers Insurance Open

Date: January 27-30

Location: La Jolla, California

Course: Torrey Pines South Course and North Course

Yardage: South, 7,569.  North, 6,874

Par: Both 72

Average Score: 72.2

Differential: +0.20

Winner: Bubba Watson with a 16 under par total of 272

The first 36 holes used both courses.  After the cut, only the South Course was played.  That was the venue of the 2008 US Open.  The event likely would have produced higher scores had all rounds been on the South Course.

14. AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am

Date: February 10-13

Location: Monterey Peninsula, California

Courses: Pebble Beach Golf Links, Spyglass Hill GC and Monterey Peninsula CC

Yardages: Pebble, 6,816.  Spyglass, 6,858.  Monterey, 6,838 

Par: 72 for Pebble and Spyglass.  Monterey is a 70 

Average Score: 71.66

Differential: +0.26

Winner: D.A. Points with a 15 under-par total of 271

The differential is based on a par average of 71.4.  Each course was played once before the cut.  The final round was played at Pebble Beach.  The players making the cut needed to shoot 286 to finish at even par.  This is a total of 71.5 strokes per round.  

Following three rounds, even par was a total of 214 which is 71.33 strokes per round.  44.9 percent of the field played four rounds, so the 71.4 total works.  It is close enough to the precise total that it doesn't affect the rankings.     

13. The Masters

Date: April 7-10

Location: Augusta, Georgia

Course: Augusta National

Yardage: 7,435

Par: 72

Average Score: 72.57

Differential: +0.57

Winner: Charl Schwartzel with a 14 under-par total of 274

The Masters checks in as the easiest major of 2011.  This is not much of surprise given its many scoring chances.  I did not expect nine non major tournaments on the PGA Tour to play more difficult than Augusta.

12. The Greenbrier Classic

Date: July 28-31

Location: White Sulfer Springs, West Virginia

Course: The Old White TPC

Yardage: 7210

Par: 70

Average Score: 70.59

Differential: +0.59

Winner: Scott Stallings with a 10 under-par total of 270

After being a punching bag in 2010, the renovations at Old White bit back.  Stallings beat Bill Haas and Bob Estes in a playoff.

11. AT&T National

Date: June 30 - July 3

Location: Newtown Square, Pennsylvania

Course: Aronimink Golf Club

Yardage: 7,206

Par: 70

Average Score: 70.72

Differential: +0.72

Winner: Nick Watney with a 13 under-par total of 267

10. Northern Trust Open

Date: February 17-20

Location: Pacific Palisades, California

Course: Riviera Country Club 

Yardage: 7,298

Par: 71

Average Score: 71.84

Differential: +0.84

Winner: Aaron Baddeley with a 12 under-par total of 272 

9. FedEx St. Jude Classic

Date: June 9-12

Location: Memphis, Tennessee 

Course: TPC Southwind

Yardage: 7,244

Par: 70

Average Score: 70.99

Differential: +0.99

Winner:  Harrison Frazar with a 13 under-par 267

Frazar defeated Robert Karlsson via playoff in the week prior to the US Open.

8. Arnold Palmer Invitational

Date: March 24-27

Location: Orlando, Florida

Course: Bay Hill Club and Lodge

Yardage: 7,381

Par: 72

Average Score: 73.2

Differential: +1.2

Winner: Martin Laird with an eight under-par total of 280

Laird shot a final round 75.  Winds made scores skyrocket on Sunday.

7. Valero Texas Open

Date: April 14-17

Location: San Antonio, Texas

Course: TPC San Antonio

Yardage: 7,522

Par: 72

Average Score: 73.67

Differential: +1.67

Winner: Brendan Steele with an eight under-par total of 280

6. US Open

Date: June 16-19

Location: Bethesada, Maryland

Course: Congressional Country Club

Yardage: 7,574

Par: 71

Average Score: 73.28

Differential: +2.28

Winner: Rory McIlroy with a 16 under-par total of 268

McIlroy broke the all time scoring record with his mark.  The course played softer and had lighter rough than was expected.

5. PGA Championship

Date: August 11-14

Location: Johns Creek, Georgia

Course: Highlands Course, Atlanta Athletic Club

Yardage: 7467

Par: 70

Average Score: 72.31

Differential: +2.31

Winner:  Keegan Bradley with an eight under-par total of 272

Bradley defeated Jason Dufner by one stroke in a three hole playoff.  The 2012 PGA Championship is being held at the notorious Kiawah Island Ocean Course.  It may top the US Open again.

4. HP Byron Nelson Championship

Date: May 26-29

Location: Irving, Texas

Course: TPC Four Seasons Resort

Yardage: 7,235

Par: 70

Average Score: 72.35

Differential: +2.35

Winner: Keegan Bradley with a three under-par total of 277

Bradley won over Ryan Palmer in a playoff.  Both of his wins in 2011 came from behind on very tough courses.

3. RBC Canadian Open

Date: July 21-24

Location: Vancouver, British Columbia

Course: Shaughnessy Golf and CC

Yardage: 7,010

Par: 70

Average Score: 72.52

Differential: +2.52

Winner: Sean O'Hair with a four under-par total of 276

Not many would have guessed the Canadian Open would play tougher then the US Open. Extreme rough penalized stray shots.  O'Hair won in a playoff over Kris Blanks.

2. Honda Classic

Date: March 3-6

Location: Palm Beach Gardens, Florida

Course: PGA National Champion Course

Yardage: 7,158

Par: 70

Average Score: 72.54

Differential: +2.54

Winner: Rory Sabbatini with a nine under-par total of 271.

1. The British Open

Date: July 14-17

Location: Sandwich, England

Course: Royal St. George's

Yardage: 7,211

Par: 70

Average Score: 72.91

Differential: +2.91

Winner: Darren Clarke with a five under-par total of 275.

Clarke was three shots clear of Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson.  It is not surprising to see the British Open play so tough given the conditions.  It was by far the toughest major of 2011.