2011 Foreign & Non-Members: Euros to Watch

2011 Foreign & Non-Members: Euros to Watch

This article is part of our Golf Draft Kit series.

This preview spotlights foreign golfers who will play on the PGA TOUR in 2011 and American golfers who were not PGA TOUR members last year. Golfers are ranked by 2011Projected Earnings.

1. Lee Westwood
2011 Proj. Earnings: $3,000,000
2010 Earnings: $3,399,954
Improvement Pct: -11.8
Grade: D
Events: 11
2011 Outlook: Westwood had a great 2010 season, but non-members rarely earn more than $2 million, let alone $3 million. While he's got the potential to match that number this season, odds are, he falls short. Even if he happens to win his first major this season, he's still got his work cut out to crack $3 million again.

2. Charl Schwartzel
2011 Proj. Earnings: $2,000,000
2010 Earnings: $676,845
Improvement Pct: 195.5
Grade: B
Events: 11
2011 Outlook: Among the non-members from 2010, Schwartzel probably has the most potential to signifigantly improve upon his last year's earnings. Schwartzel played very well at the first two WGC events last season and followed that with a T3 at the Shell Houston Open. His play fell off a bit after that, but he played in a number of events in the States last season and had mostly consistent success. Schwartzel will play as a PGA TOUR member in 2011, which should result in an increase in earnings this season.

3. Louis Oosthuizen
2011 Proj. Earnings: $1,500,000
2010 Earnings: $1,305,593
Improvement Pct: -14.9
Grade: F
Events: 5
2011 Outlook: Oothuizen was the unlikely British Open Champion last season, which accounted for nearly all of his non-member

This preview spotlights foreign golfers who will play on the PGA TOUR in 2011 and American golfers who were not PGA TOUR members last year. Golfers are ranked by 2011Projected Earnings.

1. Lee Westwood
2011 Proj. Earnings: $3,000,000
2010 Earnings: $3,399,954
Improvement Pct: -11.8
Grade: D
Events: 11
2011 Outlook: Westwood had a great 2010 season, but non-members rarely earn more than $2 million, let alone $3 million. While he's got the potential to match that number this season, odds are, he falls short. Even if he happens to win his first major this season, he's still got his work cut out to crack $3 million again.

2. Charl Schwartzel
2011 Proj. Earnings: $2,000,000
2010 Earnings: $676,845
Improvement Pct: 195.5
Grade: B
Events: 11
2011 Outlook: Among the non-members from 2010, Schwartzel probably has the most potential to signifigantly improve upon his last year's earnings. Schwartzel played very well at the first two WGC events last season and followed that with a T3 at the Shell Houston Open. His play fell off a bit after that, but he played in a number of events in the States last season and had mostly consistent success. Schwartzel will play as a PGA TOUR member in 2011, which should result in an increase in earnings this season.

3. Louis Oosthuizen
2011 Proj. Earnings: $1,500,000
2010 Earnings: $1,305,593
Improvement Pct: -14.9
Grade: F
Events: 5
2011 Outlook: Oothuizen was the unlikely British Open Champion last season, which accounted for nearly all of his non-member earnings last season. Oothuizen is still young, so he might be getting better each season, but the fact is, his game as a whole last season was not very strong - at least in the States. He missed the cut at both the U.S. Open and the Masters in 2010. Oothuizen will play as a PGA TOUR member in 2011, which should result in an increase in earnings this season.

4. Martin Kaymer
2011 Proj. Earnings: $1,250,000
2010 Earnings: $1,762,793
Improvement Pct: -29.1
Grade: F
Events: 10
2011 Outlook: Kaymer's non-member earnings are due almost entirely to his win at the 2010 PGA Championship. While Kaymer is certainly a fine player, his best play is generally reserved for overseas and the chances of a repeat of 2010 in the States is highly unlikely.

5. Robert Karlsson
2011 Proj. Earnings: $850,000
2010 Earnings: $853,170
Improvement Pct: -0.4
Grade: D
Events: 11
2011 Outlook: Who would have thought that two non-American's would win majors last season and Karlsson would not be one of them? Karlsson has been a solid player in the States, but mostly abroad the last five years, and his breakthrough is probably just around the corner. That said, it's hard to predict a major win six months out, and as such, we'll place him right were he came in last year.

6. Peter Hanson
2011 Proj. Earnings: $750,000
2010 Earnings: $179,075
Improvement Pct: 318.8
Grade: A
Events: 7
2011 Outlook:Peter Hanson had a pretty strong 2010 season, which included a top-10 at the WGC Bridgestone event, a top-20 at the U.S. Open and a T26 at the WGC-CA Championship event. Hansen should find his way into the upper echelon of the European Tour players soon - maybe this year.

7. Edoardo Molinari
2011 Proj. Earnings: $600,000
2010 Earnings: $636,518
Improvement Pct: -5.7
Grade: D
Events: 8
2011 Outlook: Molinari finished runner-up at the Arnold Palmer Invitational last season, but outside of that week, his results left a lot to be desired. He had three top-50s out of the four majors, but his best finish of the three was 27th at the British Open. He'll have to find a top-10 in there somewhere to improve upon his number from last season.

8. Ryo Ishikawa
2011 Proj. Earnings: $500,000
2010 Earnings: $149,180
Improvement Pct: 235.2
Grade: A
Events: 10
2011 Outlook: Ishikawa has yet to take off like most expected, but don't forget, he's only 19-years-old and his No. 36 world ranking will gain him entry to all the big events this season. At only $150K, Ishikawa is a steal for the 2011 season. He's also a solid pick in draft leagues.

9. Alvaro Quiros
2011 Proj. Earnings: $500,000
2010 Earnings: $232,464
Improvement Pct: 115.1
Grade: A
Events: 9
2011 Outlook: The long-hitting Spainiard is the most likely breakout candidate among the non-members from 2010. Quiros played consistently well on the PGA TOUR last season, but he lacked that one really strong finish. One of these times, he's going to finish strong and boost his earnings number.

10. Gregory Havret
2011 Proj. Earnings: $500,000
2010 Earnings: $810,000
Improvement Pct: -38.3
Grade: F
Events: 2
2011 Outlook: Havret has played well in spots the last few years on the PGA TOUR, but his earnings were abnormally boosted by a runner-up finish at the U.S. Open last season, and we can't count on that happening again this year. Havret simply doesn't play enough on the PGA TOUR to make him a viable selection.

11. Francesco Molinari
2011 Proj. Earnings: $450,000
2010 Earnings: $358,196
Improvement Pct: 25.6
Grade: C
Events: 8
2011 Outlook: The other Molinari brother fared about the same as his brother, Edoardo, last season, but without the top-3 finish. Francesco Molinari's top finish on the PGA TOUR last season was a T9 at the Players Championship. Much like his brother, though, Francesco had little success at the four majors.

12. Miguel A. Jimenez
2011 Proj. Earnings: $350,000
2010 Earnings: $213,000
Improvement Pct: 64.3
Grade: B
Events: 7
2011 Outlook: Jimenez isn't getting any younger, but he still has plenty of game and, therefore, should remain a factor during the big events this season. While a top-three finish at a major or WGC event is unlikely, the fact that he'll be entered in those events means he'll have plenty of chances to top his 2010 number.

13. Soren Kjeldsen
2011 Proj. Earnings: $200,000
2010 Earnings: $158,989
Improvement Pct: 25.8
Grade: C
Events: 7
2011 Outlook: Kjeldson was consistent at the majors last season, he finished in the top-40 in three of four majors, but his best finished was a T30 at the Masters. His entry into the big events this season is up in that air, though, as his world ranking is 81st.

14. Simon Dyson
2011 Proj. Earnings: $200,000
2010 Earnings: $171,071
Improvement Pct: 16.9
Grade: C
Events: 8
2011 Outlook: Dyson didn't accomplish much outside a T12 at the PGA Championship last season. While Dyson is an accomplished player outside the States, his play on the PGA TOUR is lacking, which doesn't make him a good option this season.

15. Ken Duke
2011 Proj. Earnings: $200,000
2010 Earnings: $220,777
Improvement Pct: -9.4
Grade: D
Events: 5
2011 Outlook: Duke spent the majority of the last five years as a PGA TOUR member, but since losing his card he's struggled to regain his privileges. Unless Duke makes a splash with a sponsor's exemption this season, he's likely to fall right about where he did last season.

16. Stephen Gallacher
2011 Proj. Earnings: $150,000
2010 Earnings: $149,245
Improvement Pct: 0.5
Grade: D
Events: 2
2011 Outlook: Gallacher preformed well in his only two starts on the PGA TOUR last season, but therein lies the problem. He only had two starts, and unless he improves his World Ranking the first couple months of the year, he'll likely be on the sideline come major season.

17. Tim Wilkinson
2011 Proj. Earnings: $150,000
2010 Earnings: $160,706
Improvement Pct: -6.7
Grade: D
Events: 15
2011 Outlook: Wilkinson is an interesting prospect for the 2011 season. He earned only $160K in 15 events last season, but just two years ago, as a full member of the PGA TOUR, he earned more than $1.1 million. He played 15 events last season on a medical extension from the previous year, and though he failed to earn his card for this season, the potential is still there. If Wilkinson can find a few exemptions this season, he may be able to make some progress back to a full-time member.

18. WC Liang
2011 Proj. Earnings: $100,000
2010 Earnings: $245,436
Improvement Pct: -59.3
Grade: F
Events: 4
2011 Outlook: Liang maxed out at six events on the PGA TOUR in 2008, and that season he only earned $145K. Last season, he topped that with the help of a top-10 at the PGA Championship. Considering Liang will play only a handful of times on the PGA TOUR this season, his prospects don't look very good.

19. Bob Heintz
2011 Proj. Earnings: $100,000
2010 Earnings: $355,047
Improvement Pct: -71.8
Grade: F
Events: 3
2011 Outlook: Henitz managed to do in three events last season, what he couldn't do in 20 and 17 events, respectively, in the previous two seasons - earn $350K. Heintz's earnings figure from last season was due to a runner-up finish at the Reno-Tahoe Open, but considering he'll likely only have a handful of events to make hay this season, his odds of coming anywhere near his 2010 are slim.

20. Robert Rock
2011 Proj. Earnings: $50,000
2010 Earnings: $186,239
Improvement Pct: -73.2
Grade: F
Events: 1
2011 Outlook: Rock's non-member earnings came from a top-10 at the British Open. Considering he played just the one event on the PGA TOUR last season, his prospects for 2011 don't look very good.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Greg Vara
Vara is the lead golf writer at RotoWire. He was named the FSWA Golf Writer of the Year in 2005 and 2013. He also picks college football games against the spread in his "College Capper" article.
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