PGA Tour Stats Review: Entering the BMW

PGA Tour Stats entering this week's FedEx Cup third round at the BMW Championship

NOTICE: The results grid was reduced for easier reading, starting with the U.S. Open. However, the AVERAGE statistics at the bottom of the grid will continue to reflect the data from completed 2011 tournaments. For results from earlier events, go here.

EVENT	WINNER	DRIVE	DRIVE	DRIVE	DRIVE	GIR	GIR		PUTTS	PUTTS		EAGLE/	BOGEY/
		%of56	RNK	DIS	DIS RNK	%of72	RNK	Per GIR	RNK	RND	RNK	BIRDIE	DBL
U.S. Open	R. McIlroy, -16	64.3	26	310.0	7	86.1	1	1.65		29.7	29	1/19	3/1
Travelers Champ.	F. Jacobson, -20	85.7	9	274.6	46	72.2	34	1.67	11	26.5	3	0/21	1/0
AT&T National	N. Watney -13	69.6	10	320.8	4	70.8	27	1.67	3	27.8	2	1/20	9/0
John Deere Classic	S. Stricker -22	64.3	58	318.0	12	73.6	33	1.55	1	25	1	1/25	3/1
Viking Classic	C. Kirk -22	64.3	43	292.0	12	79.2	12	1.63	10	27.3	12	1/24	4/0
British Open	D. Clarke -5	41.0		311.7		70.8				29.7		2/14	11/1
Canadian Open	S. O'Hair P1 -4	58.9	27	299.6	3	59.7	19	1.84	61	28.8	36	0/17	13/0
Canadian Open	K. Blanks P2 -4	69.6	7	283.6	42	70.8	1	1.78	43	30	66	1/14	10/1
Greenbrier Classic	S. Stallings P1	62.5	54	323.5	5	79.2	2	1.72	19	30	53	0/19	9/0
Bridgestone	A. Scott -17	64.3	15	319.6	6	70.8	9	1.63	4	26.5	4	0/21	4/0
PGA Championship	K. Bradley P1 -8	62.5		301.8		77.7		1.68		29.2		1/19	6/3
Wyndham Champ.	W. Simpson -18	69.6	15	310.5	13	79.2	13	1.68	2	28.8	9	3/17	3/1
Barclays-54 holes	D.Johnson -19	59.5	44	311.7	2	83.3	9	1.62	7	28	8	1/21	2/1
Deutsche Bank	W. Simpson P1 -15	62.5	44	299.4	40	65.3	35	1.6	2	26.5	3	2/17	6/0
	C. Reavie P2 -15	69.6	19	298.3	43	73.6	3	1.72	22	27.6	18	0/20	5/0

Note: Only Simpson is included in the average stats below.

AVERAGE		64.9	27.3	300.6	21.3	73.1	15.0	1.67	13.6	27.8	15.1
2010 BMW Champ.	D. Johnson -9	60.7	35	318.1	2	63.9	17	1.652	5	27.5	9	0/18	9/0
	P.Casey -8	58.9	41	308.9	4	73.6	1	1.69	16	29.3	53	0/17	9/0
	KJ Choi -6	71.4	7	298.4	20	56.9	37	1.66	6	27	6	0/17	11/0
	K. Na -6	69.6	11	284.9	58	65.3	12	1.77	39	29.8	39	0/15	9/0
	M. Kuchar -6	71.4	7	296.1	27	66.7	7	1.73	25	28.3	28	1/17	13/0
	R. Moore -6	58.9	41	302.8	11	72.2	2	1.73	27	28.8	39	0/16	6/2

DEUTSCHE BANK CHAMPIONSHIP

The significant stats for Webb Simpson and Chez Reavie, shown above, are the Putts-per-Greens In Regulation (GIR) and Total putts per round.

Simpson clearly won the putting battle despite Reavie having more birdie looks with his better GIR performance. Simpson had two eagles and 17 birdies for a sum of 21 strokes. With six bogeys, he had a net of 15 strokes.

Reavie also had a net of 15, but one of Reavie's bogeys came at the 72nd hole while one of Simpson's birdies came there for a two-stroke swing.

In this case, it's not just what you do, it's when you do it.

If you were impressed with Simpson's 15-28 footers this year be aware that his putting this year is not as good as 2010 and 2009:

Strokes Gained:

2009 - 15th
2010 - 32nd
2011 - 46th (through Deutsche Bank)

BMW CHAMPIONSHIP

Scoring at Cog Hill Golf and Country Club (par-71) won't see the galaxy of below-par rounds like last week at TPC Boston. If the course setup is like recent times, plenty of bogeys await.

In 2009, Tiger Woods won with 68-67-62-68-265 for 19-under; 62 a new course record. Jim Furyk and Marc Leishman tied for second at 11-under.

Start with checking the 2010 top six players' birdies and bogeys stats to get a bit of what to expect. You'll see how bogeys reduced chances for the win. Paul Casey is an excellent example. In the final round he was 5-under through 12. He then bogied the 13th, 14th and 15th, dooming his victory chances.

Of the six players shown, only Casey and Na are not in the BMW field.

Attributes for the BMW: With birdies scarce, bogey avoidance is a key stat - see grid again. GIR is key - five of the six players in 2010 were first, second, seventh, 12th, 17th and 37th. Sand saves will be important and, as always, a very good putting week is vital.