Derek Fathauer

Last season was the best of Fathauer's four seasons on the PGA Tour, but he hasn't shown much improvement in four years. The major difference between last season and his first three seasons on the PGA Tour was a T3 at the CIMB Classic, which was his first top-3 on the PGA Tour. Fathauer has improved in each of his first four full seasons on the PGA Tour, but the pace is just too slow to justify a salary cap selection this season.

Fathauer's rookie season on the PGA Tour was mildly productive, but not good enough to earn his privileges for the 2015-16. However, using his limited status, he started last season well and parlayed that into a strong season. Fathauer played well enough to earn a full exemption for the upcoming season, but can he continue to show improvement in year three? Fathauer finished the season well, but there's still not a strong body of work to fall back on at this point in his career to make him a solid salary cap pick. In draft leagues he should go near round 10.

Based on winning the four-event Web.com Tour finals, including Tour Championship last week, Fathauer will be second in priority rankings and exempt from the reshuffle. This was by far his best professional season and, at age 28, may be headed for a breakthrough. Last year’s Web.com Tour finals winner, John Peterson, failed miserably, finishing 179th in the FedEx Cup standings, but Fathauer should fare better, and even qualify for the FEC playoffs – he also already qualified for The Players Championship. He was second on the Web.com Tour in putting this past season en route to eight top 10s.

Fathauer was an All American at the University of Louisville and has all the tools to be successful at the next level. Fathauer qualified on his first attempt at Q School and could make a splash as a rookie if he plays well on the West Coast swing and is able to maintain a high ranking before the PGA Tour reshuffles the Q School and Nationwide grads in the spring.