Van Pelt will continue playing under a one-time top-50 career money list exemption, which is what he was playing under last season. No matter, he has no fantasy value.
Van Pelt spent years being the "best player on the PGA Tour without a win", and for a while after he finally won, he was the player that we all thought he could be. The problem is, we haven't seen that guy for a while now and I'm not sure he's ever coming back. That's the thing about waiting for golfers to find their game, they're still again during the process, so even if they do find their game, they might be 10 years older and age is starting to play a factor as well. Van Pelt does not look like a good salary cap option this year. In drafts he should still go in the first 10 rounds though.
There aren't as many must-have's this year as there have been in years past, but Van Pelt certainly qualifies. Van Pelt struggled to pick up a win for a long time on the PGA Tour, but once he did, his game really picked up as a whole. His game fell off the map last year, but considering he topped the $2 million mark the three previous years, he's certainly earned a pass. Van Pelt is only a year removed from a $3 million season, so his price tag for this year seems very reasonable. In draft leagues he should go in the 30-40 range.
It took Bo Van Pelt many years to get his first PGA TOUR win, and after this breakthrough victory in 2009, it was assumed that his career would take off. While he hasn't exactly taken off, he's turned into quite the consistent player the last three years. He's still waiting for his second win on the PGA TOUR, but as long as he's pulling in $3 million per year, he's OK where he's at. For Van Pelt, it's simple: turn those top-10s into top-5s, or even wins, and the earnings will soar. If he fails to do that, then he'll simply remain where he's at now. There's no reason to think he'll regress this year, and there is some upside, but probably not quite enough to take him in this spot. In draft leagues, Van Pelt should go near the end of round three.
Van Pelt's story is common on the PGA TOUR. It's about a player who plays well enough to contend several times throughout the year, but for one reason or another, can't seem to seal the deal. Once that player does finally win, though, he takes off to new heights. In Van Pelt's case, the long-awaited win came after years of nearly breaking through. He finally got that first victory in 2009 and carried that confidence and momentum into 2010 where he had his best season as a professional golfer. Although he didn't win last season, he finished in the top 3 four times and in the top 10 eight times. Van Pelt should continue to improve this season and exceeding his projected earnings is not out of the question. Van Pelt is pretty consistent statistically across the board. He doesn't do anything great, but he does everything well.
The moniker of "best player without a victory on the PGA tour" can no longer be used to describe Van Pelt. Van Pelt's win wasn't overly impressive (it came opposite the British Open at the U.S. Bank Championship), but nevertheless, a win is a win. Van Pelt should get a confidence boost after picking up his first victory, which should pay dividends for him this season.
Among his peers, Van Pelt is well respected. In fact he's often at the top of the minds of fellow PGA Tour players when topic of best player without a win arises. However, he's starting to fade. He had a great opportunity to break through last season at the Puerto Rico Open, but a final round 72 put an end to that. Van Pelt's upside remains much higher than many of those around him on this list, which makes him a good option for 2009.
"Best player without a win on the PGA Tour". That's been Van Pelt's title for a few years now. Pretty soon it has to go to someone else by default. Players on the tour are surprised that Van Pelt has yet to break through. Probably because he's always hanging around the top-25. Since his rookie season in 2003, he's carded double-digit top-25s each season. Van Pelt might be coming in a little under the radar this season which could make him a good sleeper pick. There has been a trend lately of players having big years just when everybody is ready to give up on them. This could be the year for Van Pelt.
Is Van Pelt getting better or has he reached his peak? He's been on the tour three years and has finished in the top three only twice. Van Pelt brings up the most difficult question when trying to forecast a golfer for the upcoming year. Will his consistency finally pay off with something better than a top-5? He's going to be in the hunt a handful of times in 2007, but can he break through just once? Van Pelt is a solid player who looks like he can win on tour, but there are better choices around this level.
Yahoo! players remember Van Pelt as the player from Group A you thought you'd never have to use. Well, you probably used him at least once. Anyhow, Van Pelt quietly turned in a pretty good year. Six top-10s and 12 top-25s. Of course, he played 33 events, but, heck, you don't get penalized for playing more in golf. The more the better. Van Pelt earned $1.5 million as a rookie and $1.6 million last year. That's good progression, though I dare say he'll pick up the pace even more in 2006.
Van Pelt earned more than $1.5 million in 2004. If you're looking for one of the more steady golfers on Tour, look no further. He does everything fairly well, just nothing great. Look for $1.8 million in '05.
