CareerBuilder Challenge Preview: Haas to be the Favorite

Entering last week's event, Fabian Gomez had amassed five top-10s in 83 starts. On the surface, those numbers would indicate that Gomez has struggled for the most part and if this were a different sport, where consistency trumps flash, then he would have bent sent to the minors. But this is golf and one week can make a season.

Last year, it was one week in June at the St. Jude Classic. Gomez captured his first career PGA Tour win in Memphis, but that win was preceded by missed cuts in three of five events and followed by four consecutive missed cuts. That said, Gomez has made his season with that lone victory. He could have missed every cut prior and post and still had a successful season with just that one victory. This isn't to say that Gomez has largely failed to this point on the PGA Tour, though. In just his fourth full season on the PGA Tour, Gomez already has two wins, and many of the top players on the PGA Tour started in similar fashion.

It's not easy to win, as evidence by the fact that one win per year is considered success. This could be the springboard to a brilliant career for Gomez or it could be another year of missed cuts, knowing that his year is already made. Only time will tell, but one thing is certain, Gomez will be at the Hyundai next and his card is secured. In other words, 2016 is considered a success just two events into the year.

This week: CareerBuilder Challenge - PGA West TPC Stadium Course, La Quinta, Calif.

Last Year: Bill Haas shot a final-round 67 on his way to a one-stroke victory over Matt Kuchar and Charley Hoffman.

PLAYERS TO CONSIDER

Bill Haas

Another week on the PGA Tour and another defending champion at or near the top of the Consider list. Hey, there are golfers who play well out west year after year, and Haas is one. He almost always plays well at this event, and although the courses change, the format does not. Haas should be in the mix again this week.

Charley Hoffman

See above. No, seriously, I do realize that these two were atop the leaderboard last year, but Haas and Hoffman have been near the top of the leaderboard here for the better part of the last decade. Hoffman hasn't had quite as much success here as Haas, but he does enter the 2016 event on a run of three consecutive top-10s here.

Matt Kuchar

Unlike the first two names on this list, Kuchar has yet to win here, but he has managed to finish runner-up twice. Kuchar generally plays better in the early part of the season, but he's too good to discount for the remainder of the season, so tread lightly. He's a good option this week, but he'll be a good option down the road, as well.

Matt Jones

If this pick is to pay off, Jones will have to post his best finish to date at this event. He does have a T8 here, but you don't pick players in a one-and-done format for top-10s, you want wins or top-3s, at least. On the bright side, Jones has made the cut six of six times and is seemingly a lock to make the weekend this year as well.

Patrick Reed

Reed, like just about everyone else on this list, is an early season guy. He nearly won two weeks ago in Hawaii and is a former champion at this event. His track record here isn't as extensive as others, though, which is why he's at the bottom of the Consider list.

PLAYERS TO AVOID

Chad Campbell

Campbell won this event way back in 2006, but for whatever reason, he's had almost no success here since. Yes, his game on the whole has regressed during that time, but his inability to make cuts here is a little baffling. Whatever the reason for the regression, he's not worth a look this week.

Jhonattan Vegas

When Vegas won this event in 2011, he ended the week at -27 under par. His cumulative score in the four starts since is -18 under par. During that time, he's missed the cut three times and finished in 84th the other. Vegas is a streaky player who's not near the top of his game.

Mark Wilson

Wilson won this event in 2012, but he's always been a streaky player and that win was likely a result of a small hot-streak ... no I didn't copy this entire write-up from last week's article. Wilson is a former champ here, but he's coming off a missed cut, and his form doesn't resemble anything from 2012.

Patton Kizzare

Some rookies on the PGA Tour come out of the gate on fire, and some don't. Some players take a while to get accustomed to life on the PGA Tour, and some pick it up right away. While Kizzare was one of the fortunate players to start well, he's struggled early in the 2016 portion of the season and might be struggling to adjust. It's not uncommon for a rookie to play well very early and struggle soon after. Tony Finau is a perfect example. He played well during the fall portion of last season, got a bunch of attention and fell off the map for five months. He eventually turned it around, but regardless; he really struggled for a large portion of last season.

Chris Stroud

Some weeks there are guys who look to good to be true. I refer to those individuals as a "perfect storm." Well, the opposite is true sometimes, and this week's perfect storm, perfectly bad that is, is Stroud, whose form is awful and as whose track record here is even worse.

ONE AND DONE GOLFER

Last week: Jimmy Walker (T13) - $77,604; Season - $1,047,241

This week: Bill Haas - To this point in the season, the defending champs have carded a runner-up finish and a T13. While the T13 from Walker was less than I'd hoped, on the whole, the defending champs have paid off. Haas' record here is both outstanding and consistent, so I'll stick with the defending champ again this week.

YAHOO PICKS

Points: 246
Rank: 36,104

This Week:

Group A: Tony Finau, Phil Mickelson

Group B: Patrick Reed, Charley Hoffman, Zac Blair, Matt Jones

Group C: Bill Haas, Matt Kuchar

SURVIVOR PICK

Last week: Charles Howell III (T13); Streak - 3

This week: Bill Haas - Haas has missed just one cut in 11 starts here, and while that missed cut came just a few years ago, I feel confident that he'll not only make the cut this week, but play well, late into Sunday.