With the US Open just a few weeks away, there’s already plenty of excitement building when it comes to who might win it.
Pinehurst represents a difficult challenge for even the very best in the world and players are going to need to be neat and tidy from the tee into fairways, while the short-game and then crucially, putting, is going to be key to any winner.
Of course, ever golfer in the world will say they need to putt that bit better. And that goes right from your high handicappers to the best in the world.
With putting one of the best ways of measuring success is in strokes gained. Essentially, that means comparing the actual number of strokes taken to the strokes expected.
Pretty much, the higher your average strokes gained stat, the better you’re considered on the greens right now.
Going into the US Open, then, The Golfing Gazette has looked at the top FIVE PGA Tour players right now, when it comes to putting. (stats provided by PGAtour.com)
5. Sahith Theegala
Coming in fifth on the list is the ever popular Sahith Theegala.
The 26-year-old is very much a crowd favourite whenever he plays on the PGA Tour and he’s also exceptional in and around the greens, leading to some big moments.
Theegala stands at number five on the official list, with a strokes gained average of 0.686. Incidentally, Theegala is actually up four spots from where he was a few weeks back.
4. Denny McCarthy
A recent loser in a playoff to Akshay Bhatia, Denny McCarthy has gone under the radar a bit and could very much be a threat at Pinehurst.
McCarthy has actually dropped down a place to fourth with an average of 0.739 in strokes gained on the greens.
He’s not too far behind third place and if he gets it together, he’s a dark horse for the US Open.
- READ MORE: Three Masters winners who’ve never won the US Open but can definitely win it at Pinehurst
3. Justin Suh
Coming in down at number three is little known Las Vegas native, Justin Suh.
The 26-year-old has a strokes gained average of 0.755 and is just above the aforementioned Denny McCarthy.
It must be caveated here though that Suh has only been measured on 27 rounds, the lowest of all the players in the top five.
For context, McCarthy’s stat comes from 42 rounds, while Theegala has recorded 43.
2. Aaron Baddeley
The experienced Baddeley is another who has a slightly lower round measurement at just 33 but his strokes gained stat is impressive at 0.814.
Baddeley, a four-time winner on the PGA Tour, hasn’t actually featured in a major since 2019 either, so his putting stats going into the US Open could prove a touch irrelevant.
Still, he’s hanging around on tour and has made eight cuts from 12 starts in 2024, including finishing in the top 25 three times.
1. Taylor Montgomery
Leading the charge on the PGA Tour is another name many will not consider a household one but Taylor Montgomery is the current top dog when it comes to putting.
Again, he has only been measured over 29 rounds compared to Theegala’s 43 back in fifth spot but nevertheless, his putting has been impressive.
Remarkably, despite his excellent putting, Montgomery has yet to win on the PGA Tour and in 2024, he’s made seven of 13 cuts and finished in the top 25 the three times.
He’s finished third once in his career, and top five twice. Like Baddeley, Montgomery isn’t part of the field at Pinehurst as it stands.
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