These PGA Tour players made the biggest strokes-gained improvements, declines

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These PGA Tour players made the biggest strokes-gained improvements, declines
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There is no shortage of metrics on the PGA Tour.

Some of the most useful are the strokes-gained statistics. Whether it’s off the tee, approaching the green, around the green or putting, these strokes-gained numbers quantify where players stack up against their peers in the most important facets of the game.

Using these metrics, we can also see how much better – or worse – a particular player got in each of those four areas. Who made the greatest driving gain? Who improved the most on approach? Who suffered the biggest setback with putter?

All of those questions can easily be answered.

And so, with that said, who were the PGA Tour’s biggest strokes-gained gainers – and losers – from last season to this season?

Some notable findings:

• Maverick McNealy improved the most across the board, using a 165-place gain in his off-the-tee ranking to rise 227 total spots, one spot clear of Davis Thompson, who improved 226 places despite backing up 12 spots to No. 38 off the tee. McNealy’s off-the-tee ranking gain was the single greatest improvement, and it more than offset his slight drop in putting, as he went from the Tour’s top-ranked putter to No. 29. McNealy became an equipment free agent this year, and had a TaylorMade Qi10 driver in the bag, along with TaylorMade P7CB irons that he switched to this fall, when he won the RSM Classic for his first Tour win. He still uses an Odyssey putter.

• Akshay Bhatia’s putting, up 150 spots, was the second biggest gain this season, followed by Keith Mitchell’s approach play, which was up 148 places. Bhatia switched to a broomstick putter in September 2023. Mitchell began the year working with Georgia assistant coach Mookie DeMoss on improving his course management, especially off the tee to take pressure off his approach shots; it worked.

• Cameron Champ’s 128-spot improvement in putting, to No. 37, was tied with Sam Stevens for second best on Tour, though it might’ve been the most impressive rise as Champ had never finished a season ranked better than 123rd with the flatstick.

• On the flip side, Justin Rose and Rickie Fowler not only plummeted 307 and 295 total spots, respectively, but they were also two of only three players to have top-5 declines in multiple strokes-gained categories, both doing so on approach and around the greens. Max Homa dropped 123 places off the tee, tops on Tour, and 100 in putting, tied for fifth. Fowler talked in June about his biggest issue being with the flatstick, saying, “I feel like a lot of it can go back to not putting well. … Putting well helps free up other things. You’re not seeing putts go in and it kind of adds some extra stress to having to hit greens or hit it closer, chip it close, that circle gets quite a bit bigger once you see some go in.” Fowler has since switched to a LAB putter, though looking at his stats, putting was his smallest drop, at only 18 spots to No. 66. He lost most of his ground with his approach play (down 117 places) and around the greens (down 100 spots).

Here is a further dive into the numbers:

Kurt Kitayama of the US tees off at the first hole during round 3 of Zozo Championships PGA golf tournament at the Narashino Country Club in Inzai, Chiba prefecture on October 26, 2024. (Photo by Toshifumi KITAMURA / AFP) (Photo by TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA/AFP via Getty Images)

Off the tee

Biggest improvements
1. Maverick McNealy, +165 (to No. 23)
2. Kurt Kitayama, +110 (to No. 16)
3. Sahith Theegala, +106 (to No. 28)
4. Alex Noren, +91 (to No. 79)
5. Ryan Brehm, +88 (to No. 81)

Biggest declines
1. Max Homa, -123 (to No. 164)
2. Garrick Higgo, -122 (to No. 140)
3. S.H. Kim, -113 (to No. 142)
4. Cam Davis, -110 (to No. 127)
5. Brandon Wu, -99 (to No. 169)

Last season’s top 5
1. Scottie Scheffler, -1 (to No. 2)
2. Ludvig Åberg, -12 (to No. 14)
3. Rory McIlroy, -1 (to No. 4)
4. Patrick Cantlay, -57 (to No. 61)
6. Kevin Yu, -6 (to No. 12)

World Wide Technology Championship 2024 - Round Two

CABO SAN LUCAS, MEXICO – NOVEMBER 08: Keith Mitchell of the United States plays his shot from the second tee during the second round of the World Wide Technology Championship 2024 at El Cardonal at Diamante on November 08, 2024 in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images)

Approach the green

Biggest improvements
1. Keith Mitchell, +148 (to No. 12)
2. Seamus Power, +112 (to No. 57)
3. Davis Thompson, +111 (to No. 38)
4. Austin Smotherman, +104 (to No. 20)
5. Henrik Norlander, +95 (to No. 11)

Biggest declines
1. Justin Rose, -140 (to No. 157)
2. Davis Riley, -128 (to No. 168)
3. Adam Schenk, -123 (to No. 171)
4. Rickie Fowler, -117 (to No. 124)
5. Ryan Palmer, -107 (to No. 167)

Last season’s top 5
1. Scottie Scheffler, +0 (still No. 1)
2. Collin Morikawa, -40 (to No. 42)
3. Xander Schauffele, -3 (to No. 6)
5. Tony Finau, +3 (to No. 2)
6. Gary Woodland, -41 (to No. 47)

Travelers Championship - Round Two

CROMWELL, CONNECTICUT – JUNE 21: Webb Simpson of the United States hits his 3rd shot out of the sand on hole number 6 during The Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands on June 21, 2024 in Cromwell, CT. (Photo by Mark Smith/ISI Photos/Getty Images)

Around the green

Biggest improvements
1. Webb Simpson, +140 (to No. 2)
2. Ryan Moore, +123 (to No. 37)
3. Kevin Tway, +104 (to No. 47)
4. Chez Reavie, +100 (to No. 63)
5. Collin Morikawa, +86 (to No. 10)

Biggest declines
1. Rickie Fowler, -100 (to No. 121)
2. Ben An, -98 (to No. 104)
3. Viktor Hovland, -94 (to No. 180)
4. Justin Rose, -92 (to No. 112)
5. Jordan Spieth, -80 (to No. 108)
5. J.J. Spaun, -80 (to No. 112)

Last season’s top 5
2. Aaron Baddeley, -5 (to No. 7)
3. Brendon Todd, -16 (to No. 19)
4. Justin Thomas, +1 (to No. 3)
5. Scottie Scheffler, -12 (to No. 17)
6. Ben An, -98 (to No. 104)

GOLF: SEP 01 PGA FedExCup Playoffs - TOUR Championship

ATLANTA, GA – SEPTEMBER 01: Akshay Bhatia (USA) putts on the 18th green during the final round of the FedExCup TOUR Championship on September 1, 2024 at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Putting

Biggest improvements
1. Akshay Bhatia, +150 (to No. 33)
2. Cameron Champ, +128 (to No. 37)
2. Sam Stevens, +128 (to No. 38)
4. Tyson Alexander, +123 (to No. 36)
5. Erik van Rooyen, +112 (to No. 26)

Biggest declines
1. Nicolai Hojgaard, -120 (to No. 144)
2. Adam Svensson, -113 (to No. 172)
3. Sam Ryder, -108 (to No. 122)
4. Keegan Bradley, -105 (to No. 125)
5. Chris Kirk, -100 (to No. 170)
5. Max Homa, -100 (to No. 106)
5. Brice Garnett, -100 (to No. 169)

Last season’s top 5
1. Maverick McNealy, -28 (to No. 29)
2. Taylor Montgomery, +1 (to No. 1)
3. Denny McCarthy, -1 (to No. 4)
4. Harry Hall, -39 (to No. 43)
5. Xander Schauffele, -7 (to No. 12)

The RSM Classic 2024 - Round One

ST SIMONS ISLAND, GEORGIA – NOVEMBER 21: Davis Thompson of the United States prepares to play his shot from the 12th tee during the first round of The RSM Classic 2024 on the Plantation Course at Sea Island Resort on November 21, 2024 in St Simons Island, Georgia. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

Overall

Biggest improvements
1. Maverick McNealy, +227
2. Davis Thompson, +226
3. Erik van Rooyen, +187
4. Nico Echavarria, +178
5. Zach Johnson, +170

Biggest declines
1. Justin Rose, -307
2. Rickie Fowler, -295
3. Max Homa, -289
4. Cam Davis, -230
5. Adam Schenk, -177

Full breakdown

PLAYER
 		2024 OTT
 		2024 APP
 		2024 ATG
 		2024 PUTT
 		2023 OTT
 		2023 APP
 		2023 ATG
 		2023 PUTT
 		OTT +/-
 		APP +/-
 		ATG +/-
 		PUTT +/-
 		OVR +/-
Maverick McNealy 23 118 10 29 188 159 59 1 165 41 49 -28 227
Davis Thompson 38 38 5 90 26 149 88 134 -12 111 83 44 226
Erik van Rooyen 40 94 149 26 84 95 179 138 44 1 30 112 187
Nico Echavarria 116 101 126 79 125 172 166 137 9 71 40 58 178
Zach Johnson 124 126 67 22 147 164 123 75 23 38 56 53 170
Kevin Tway 64 174 47 28 89 140 151 95 25 -34 104 67 162
Billy Horschel 71 107 64 21 152 133 95 41 81 26 31 20 158
Henrik Norlander 103 11 99 131 141 106 98 155 38 95 -1 24 156
Patton Kizzire 120 18 85 127 157 111 103 117 37 93 18 -10 138
Wesley Bryan 100 129 65 126 180 173 18 180 80 44 -47 54 131
Austin Smotherman 52 20 111 176 96 124 170 98 44 104 59 -78 129
Harry Hall 139 77 6 43 173 163 53 4 34 86 47 -39 128
Taylor Pendrith 70 68 118 5 40 103 144 102 -30 35 26 97 128
Tyson Alexander 179 166 78 36 177 161 89 159 -2 -5 11 123 127
Akshay Bhatia 59 48 119 33 32 33 128 183 -27 -15 9 150 117
Kurt Kitayama 16 10 66 171 126 49 70 133 110 39 4 -38 115
Sam Stevens 17 143 72 38 31 115 66 166 14 -28 -6 128 108
C.T. Pan 114 81 12 89 145 55 91 110 31 -26 79 21 105
Aaron Rai 34 7 56 87 38 35 56 152 4 28 0 65 97
Cameron Champ 1 181 182 37 19 122 192 165 18 -59 10 128 97
Keith Mitchell 7 12 101 159 7 160 121 85 0 148 20 -74 94
Andrew Novak 69 23 40 100 101 99 51 72 32 76 11 -28 91
Alex Noren 79 43 8 54 170 74 11 18 91 31 3 -36 89
Collin Morikawa 19 42 10 73 21 2 96 114 2 -40 86 41 89
Doug Ghim 20 8 106 135 50 70 79 150 30 62 -27 15 80
Matti Schmid 47 100 157 46 52 108 187 82 5 8 30 36 79
Christiaan Bezuidenhout 144 58 44 20 171 77 42 53 27 19 -2 33 77
Martin Trainer 176 183 122 32 168 187 126 108 -8 4 4 76 76
Xander Schauffele 10 6 42 12 47 3 90 5 37 -3 48 -7 75
Scottie Scheffler 2 1 17 77 1 1 5 162 -1 0 -12 85 72
Carson Young 36 85 170 68 81 93 185 71 45 8 15 3 71
Matt Wallace 150 60 24 82 176 72 34 104 26 12 10 22 70
Sam Burns 44 73 80 14 46 129 97 8 2 56 17 -6 69
Martin Laird 161 150 18 61 144 113 92 107 -17 -37 74 46 66
Seamus Power 95 57 95 91 110 169 60 63 15 112 -35 -28 64
Mackenzie Hughes 153 136 4 3 163 154 8 34 10 18 4 31 63
Webb Simpson 125 148 2 157 151 97 142 105 26 -51 140 -52 63
Chez Reavie 168 28 63 155 153 38 163 122 -15 10 100 -33 62
Lucas Glover 112 5 48 139 45 15 133 169 -67 10 85 30 58
Charley Hoffman 72 74 89 146 111 31 116 181 39 -43 27 35 58
Justin Lower 145 78 131 31 154 91 161 35 9 13 30 4 56
Hideki Matsuyama 33 15 1 121 81 12 13 119 48 -3 12 -2 55
Ryan Moore 118 24 37 177 124 22 160 103 6 -2 123 -74 53
Brian Harman 88 35 74 40 48 105 107 27 -40 70 33 -13 50
Lanto Griffin 56 76 174 123 71 171 141 89 15 95 -33 -34 43
Sahith Theegala 28 44 81 48 134 69 22 17 106 25 -59 -31 41
Si Woo Kim 38 14 43 140 25 44 44 163 -13 30 1 23 41
Chad Ramey 129 162 87 25 104 155 140 44 -25 -7 53 19 40
Russell Henley 106 33 21 39 63 18 29 120 -43 -15 8 81 31
Beau Hossler 85 156 9 14 53 158 25 56 -32 2 16 42 28
Taylor Moore 46 142 92 55 114 112 110 25 68 -30 18 -30 26
Joel Dahmen 40 16 141 181 65 83 65 188 25 67 -76 7 23
Cameron Young 25 87 102 145 12 92 119 158 -13 5 17 13 22
Kevin Chappell 128 145 82 86 138 81 137 106 10 -64 55 20 21
Corey Conners 21 3 124 128 11 21 135 128 -10 18 11 0 19
Ben Griffin 130 34 23 52 117 89 12 39 -13 55 -11 -13 18
Adam Scott 31 88 71 27 28 143 37 19 -3 55 -34 -8 10
Kevin Yu 12 36 155 153 6 66 101 191 -6 30 -54 38 8
Ryan Brehm 81 173 181 160 169 184 186 61 88 11 5 -99 5
Tom Hoge 120 4 160 93 155 9 151 66 35 5 -9 -27 4
Brice Garnett 136 69 26 169 127 137 71 69 -9 68 45 -100 4
David Lipsky 167 49 60 162 131 43 87 179 -36 -6 27 17 2
Austin Eckroat 30 27 157 129 34 102 131 76 4 75 -26 -53 0
Nate Lashley 148 63 34 88 121 45 84 81 -27 -18 50 -7 -2
J.T. Poston 110 105 31 50 118 47 99 29 8 -58 68 -21 -3
Carl Yuan 54 153 119 179 67 142 161 132 13 -11 42 -47 -3
Andrew Putnam 170 63 22 41 174 25 73 12 4 -38 51 -29 -12
Sepp Straka 48 40 172 104 101 23 167 60 53 -17 -5 -44 -13
Tony Finau 68 2 12 156 44 5 49 125 -24 3 37 -31 -15
Joseph Bramlett 26 90 32 173 54 37 54 160 28 -53 22 -13 -16
Ludvig Åberg 14 21 105 67 2 107 39 42 -12 86 -66 -25 -17
K.H. Lee 79 140 48 62 90 94 26 101 11 -46 -22 39 -18
Justin Thomas 72 9 3 174 62 39 4 135 -10 30 1 -39 -18
Troy Merritt 133 79 91 161 107 126 41 172 -26 47 -50 11 -18
Harris English 84 149 73 16 159 79 49 16 75 -70 -24 0 -19
Robby Shelton 173 134 15 94 160 80 35 121 -13 -54 20 27 -20
Aaron Baddeley 182 153 7 18 187 117 2 31 5 -36 -5 13 -23
Michael Kim 147 37 97 78 106 59 93 78 -41 22 -4 0 -23
Zac Blair 154 89 38 120 156 88 36 97 2 -1 -2 -23 -24
Emiliano Grillo 97 44 177 68 57 62 158 84 -40 18 -19 16 -25
Nick Hardy 48 61 175 135 80 61 164 87 32 0 -11 -48 -27
Chesson Hadley 94 131 150 45 139 42 181 30 45 -89 31 -15 -28
Sungjae Im 29 99 25 65 24 87 17 62 -5 -12 -8 -3 -28
Greyson Sigg 122 25 30 175 83 65 77 96 -39 40 47 -79 -31
Taylor Montgomery 184 165 33 1 148 181 18 2 -36 16 -15 1 -34
Byeong Hun An 22 70 104 113 27 98 6 144 5 28 -98 31 -34
Shane Lowry 53 12 114 112 30 28 82 116 -23 16 -32 4 -35
Thomas Detry 78 137 151 10 93 118 78 50 15 -19 -73 40 -37
Patrick Rodgers 58 135 76 71 61 120 47 67 3 -15 -29 -4 -45
Ben Taylor 177 177 60 74 181 127 101 32 4 -50 41 -42 -47
Denny McCarthy 155 111 14 4 90 85 58 3 -65 -26 44 -1 -48
Tyler Duncan 45 172 137 142 22 134 177 113 -23 -38 40 -29 -50
Brandon Wu 169 109 52 124 70 84 115 135 -99 -25 63 11 -50
Wyndham Clark 18 96 83 19 74 29 27 33 56 -67 -56 14 -53
Rory McIlroy 4 52 28 59 3 8 14 65 -1 -44 -14 6 -53
Peter Malnati 174 146 83 48 186 165 23 23 12 19 -60 -25 -54
Justin Suh 141 170 144 6 86 125 183 10 -55 -45 39 4 -57
Davis Riley 162 168 129 41 105 40 173 125 -57 -128 44 84 -57
Matt Kuchar 143 128 29 29 94 100 9 68 -49 -28 -20 39 -58
Jason Day 74 152 55 9 37 110 45 37 -37 -42 -10 28 -61
Mark Hubbard 98 53 108 98 141 14 43 93 43 -39 -65 -5 -66
Gary Woodland 99 47 166 143 15 6 178 186 -84 -41 12 43 -70
Tom Kim 74 49 86 114 75 10 93 73 1 -39 7 -41 -72
J.J. Spaun 111 17 112 108 43 51 32 149 -68 34 -80 41 -73
Luke List 81 133 162 103 9 52 147 189 -72 -81 -15 86 -82
Keegan Bradley 67 41 100 125 58 57 113 20 -9 16 13 -105 -85
Stephan Jaeger 32 120 54 99 39 62 7 110 7 -58 -47 11 -87
Dylan Wu 152 72 92 76 99 53 111 40 -53 -19 19 -36 -89
S.H. Kim 142 176 52 16 29 174 38 49 -113 -2 -14 33 -96
Viktor Hovland 13 18 180 44 8 11 86 54 -5 -7 -94 10 -96
Adam Svensson 95 32 58 172 59 50 85 59 -36 18 27 -113 -104
Ryan Palmer 77 167 135 165 56 60 154 168 -21 -107 19 3 -106
Kevin Streelman 93 114 117 138 98 78 61 118 5 -36 -56 -20 -107
Matt NeSmith 113 116 148 133 99 56 124 124 -14 -60 -24 -9 -107
Eric Cole 159 66 45 47 158 19 16 13 -1 -47 -29 -34 -111
Garrick Higgo 140 157 132 83 18 161 143 77 -122 4 11 -6 -113
Alex Smalley 27 120 146 168 48 32 106 161 21 -88 -40 -7 -114
Brendon Todd 166 164 19 24 164 67 3 22 -2 -97 -16 -2 -117
Matt Fitzpatrick 102 127 79 23 55 116 31 11 -47 -11 -48 -12 -118
Nick Taylor 130 55 90 109 128 36 48 52 -2 -19 -42 -57 -120
Lee Hodges 114 29 160 158 51 68 155 64 -63 39 -5 -94 -123
Hayden Buckley 90 144 155 152 10 130 191 86 -80 -14 36 -66 -124
Jordan Spieth 15 138 108 101 59 71 28 79 44 -67 -80 -22 -125
Patrick Cantlay 61 102 35 53 4 16 57 47 -57 -86 22 -6 -127
Sam Ryder 156 49 152 122 172 24 127 14 16 -25 -25 -108 -142
Chris Kirk 43 83 69 170 97 34 15 70 54 -49 -54 -100 -149
Adam Hadwin 109 114 103 96 103 64 83 21 -6 -50 -20 -75 -151
Callum Tarren 158 122 143 178 64 73 165 141 -94 -49 22 -37 -158
Nicolai Højgaard 107 30 168 144 116 41 108 24 9 11 -60 -120 -160
Vincent Norrman 55 147 169 184 23 90 124 157 -32 -57 -45 -27 -161
Tommy Fleetwood 35 92 35 92 33 27 10 14 -2 -65 -25 -78 -170
Adam Schenk 59 171 133 95 85 48 112 36 26 -123 -21 -59 -177
Cam Davis 127 123 94 147 17 75 46 123 -110 -48 -48 -24 -230
Max Homa 164 86 39 106 41 26 33 6 -123 -60 -6 -100 -289
Rickie Fowler 137 124 121 66 77 7 21 48 -60 -117 -100 -18 -295
Justin Rose 119 157 112 97 115 17 20 26 -4 -140 -92 -71 -307





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